


Midnight

by SpicyDinosaurAge



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Rewrite, Romance, Slow Burn, trust me its a bit slower than the original but it makes more sense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:42:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28825392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyDinosaurAge/pseuds/SpicyDinosaurAge
Summary: A simple job that turns complicated can ruin a lot of someone's plans. With the discovery of a new prophecy that would start a war with mortal lives in Tamriel, Kjona partners up with a vampire, of all things, to stop the war before it can happen. However, things only get harder for the duo as they face hardships and betrayals during their journey. What will happen when two people from different worlds come together to stop an ancient evil?(Rewrite of In the End, I'd Do It All Again)
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Serana
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	1. Riften

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the rewrite! 
> 
> Not a lot has changed between this and In the End, I'd Do It All Again, but there are some key differences. For example, you'll notice Kjona acts a little differently here, but it's all for a good reason. There will also be more descriptions and the chapters will be longer. Some things have definitely changed, but I think they'll make more sense. 
> 
> The rest of the rewrite will be out sometime this week. I got behind, but I didn't want to leave you all with nothing. 
> 
> Any questions/comments, feel free to ask on my Tumblr, spicy-dinosaur-age. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

_ Boots pounded across the rooftops of Riften. The moons shone bright, illuminating the slick tiles of the roofs beneath her feet.  _

_ Guards shouted behind her as an arrow flew past her head. Another whizzed by her ear.  _

_ She had never felt so alive.  _

_ She hopped from rooftop to rooftop, silent as she landed. She was almost back to the Thieves Guild. If she could just make it one more building... _

_ It all happened suddenly. She had been  _ so  _ close to losing the city guards and making it back to her guild when several voices shouted in her ears, " _ Dovahkiin! _ " _

_ The loudness and suddenness of those voices threw her off balance. She dropped the pendant in her hand as she reached up to cover her ears.  _

_ She stumbled to the side, not noticing a loose tile. It slipped beneath her booted foot, sending her falling on her ass. She slid down the roof, but by the time she noticed, it was too late.  _

_ She was falling to the stone ground. Her eyes widened when she noticed an iron gate, its top pointed. She fell onto it, screaming as the metal shredded her side- _

Kjona woke with a gasp. She shot upright in her bed, a hand immediately finding her side. She lifted her nightshirt, only to see scars. 

She had healed just fine from the accident. She was lucky to have been left with nothing more than scars and only a little chunk missing from her side. 

Even so. It was a year later, and she would still sometimes wake up from nightmares of that night. 

Kjona refused to go to the Nords that called her to the Throat of the World. She wanted nothing to do with them, and she didn't even think she deserved to be the reason they were calling her. 

They could find someone else to fulfill their stupid prophecy. She was just fine where she was, thank you very much.

Kjona sighed and rubbed her face before throwing the blankets off of her. She refused to even glance at the other side of her bed. She already knew it would be empty. 

Kjona crept silently through her house, watching the shadows. It wasn't that she thought anyone was inside that wasn't supposed to be there. She had just grown cautious over the years. 

She made her way down to the basement, skipping over the one wooden step she knew would creak. She then made her way to where she kept her armor, her feet padding softly against the stones. 

As quietly as she could, Kjona buckled her Nightingale armor around herself. Anytime she thought she was too loud, she would freeze and look to the only closed door in the basement. Thankfully, no sound came from it. 

Kjona grasped her metal mask in her hand and kept her hood down. There was no need to wear them in her own home, after all. 

Silently, Kjona walked to the closed door. She opened it as quietly as she could, peering in. 

Lucia was sleeping soundly in her bed, curled around a doll Kjona had purchased a few weeks ago. Besides her breathing, there were no other sounds in the room.

Kjona shut the door slowly, biting the inside of her cheek. Lucia already knew she would have to leave again soon. After all, she was never home for long.

Kjona made her way back to the ground floor, putting on her mask and pulling up her hood as she did so. She stepped out into the night, locking the door behind her. 

Only someone with a Skeleton Key could get through that door, and Kjona made sure no one would have it again. She just wanted Lucia to be safe. 

The mist in Riften was heavy as Kjona made her way through the streets. She could just faintly see the glowing torches of the guards doing their nightly rounds. The moons couldn't even be seen. 

Still, Kjona didn't need light to find her way around Riften. She knew it like the back of her hand. She could get to the Thieves Guild or the Ratway through muscle memory alone. 

Sure enough, she came upon the illuminated gravesite that held the Thieves Guild's entrance. She glanced around, making sure there was no one around. Once she was sure, she walked inside the small overhang and pressed a button on the stone coffin. 

The floor beneath her feet began sliding back as metal screeched. Really, they were thieves with access to a vault filled with septims. Could they really not afford to get a quieter system?

Kjona walked down the stone steps, the hole closing as she went. She had to bend so that her head didn't scrape against the top of the small tunnel. 

She opened the wooden hatch that led to the Ragged Flagon's cistern. She climbed down the ladder, hopping off before she could step on the cracked part of the ladder. 

There was almost no movement inside. Only a few people were awake, but they were still lying on their respective beds. 

Kjona walked further inside, glancing around. She removed her hood and mask once again. 

"Mornin', lass," came a voice from Kjona's left. "What's got you down here so early?"

Brynjolf was standing at their shared desk, looking over a few papers. He smiled at her as she approached. 

"Another nightmare," Kjona sighed. "I wanted to clear my head. Make myself useful. What are you looking at?"

She came around the desk to stand beside Brynjolf. He crossed his arms before he spoke. "One of our clients heard news of something big down in a cave in the Pale. Heard it's worth a lot of money. I was debating sending someone down there to look around."

"Why would we be interested in a cave?" Kjona asked. She picked up one of the papers. "What could possibly be important enough that we would get involved?"

Brynjolf shrugged. "I'm not sure. That's why I haven't sent anyone down there yet, lass. I don't know if it's worth it."

Kjona skimmed through the paper. It detailed some kind of ancient crypt crawling with draugr. 

She sighed. "I'll go. If our client really thinks it'll help, I can go check it out."

"Are you sure?" Brynjolf asked. "I know you haven't been feeling the best since your, erm..."

Kjona rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what he was going to say. "I'll be fine. Draugr are nothing. Although, if that's all that's down there, I don't know there would be anything worth looting."

Brynjolf elbowed her side. "You used to be quite the adventurer. What happened?"

"Life happened.  _ Adulthood _ happened. I can't go risking my life on some hope anymore when I have a daughter to get back home to."

"You know we'll never let anything happen to Lucia. Someone is always keeping an eye on her."

Kjona rubbed the bridge of her nose. "That's not the point, Bryn." She set the paper back down. "It doesn't matter. As long as I won't die down in that cave, it's fine."

"If there are only draugr, you won't be in any real danger. I've seen you take them down with ease." Brynjolf grinned. "What fun is thieving without a little danger, eh?"

Kjona couldn't help her smile. "All right, all right. The thrill  _ is _ nice." She looked at the other papers. "Do we know exactly where this cave is?"

Brynjolf unrolled a map. After searching for a moment, he pointed to a location not far from Dawnstar. "According to the papers they sent, it's around here somewhere. It's called Dimhollow Crypt. I'm sure the locals could point it out."

Kjona chuckled. "Yes, because we all know the locals of Dawnstar are sane people."

Kjona grabbed the map and rolled it up. She stuffed it in the satchel at her waist as she turned away. 

"Be careful out there, lass," Brynjolf said, his tone turning serious. "Don't take on anything you don't think you can handle."

Kjona looked at him over her shoulder. "I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle myself."

Brynjolf crossed his arms once more. "You'll always be a child in my eyes, Kjona. You know that."

She had been a child when he found her and brought her into the Thieves Guild. She knew he would always see her as such. 

Kjona nodded. "I'll come back as soon as I find whatever our client was talking about. Shouldn't take long, if their sources are correct."

"We'll see each other soon enough."

Kjona made her way back out of the cistern, giving brief nods to those still awake. They nodded back at her, smiling. 

She had always liked how kind everyone was in the Thieves Guild. Always offering to help her be better, even now. 

It showed her that even criminals could be decent humans. 

By the time Kjona was above ground again, sunlight was already cutting through the fog. She must have left just as the sun was about to rise. 

She made her way back to her home, pulling her hood and mask up before she got far. She eyed anyone she passed. 

There was only one person in the market. They only seemed to be getting ready for the day. 

Just as Kjona arrived at her home, she saw another of her friends walking up to the door. 

"Morning, Mjoll," Kjona said. "Why are you here so early?" 

Mjoll the Lioness, a somewhat recent friend of Kjona's, had helped her take care of and watch over Lucia. They had known each other for years, but had just become friends in the last few. 

"Lucia's tutoring starts today," Mjoll answered. "I told her I would take her."

Kjona nodded. She unlocked the door for Mjoll. "Oh, darn, I forgot that was today."

She just barely saw Mjoll roll her eyes, but she did catch her smile. "I'm sure you did." She shut the door behind her. "Why are  _ you _ out so early?"

"I went to the Guild. Brynjolf has a quest for me."

Mjoll paused. "You're leaving again?"

"I have to make money somehow," Kjona said. "I may be the Thane of Riften, but that doesn't mean I don't have to pay to live here. Even the Black-Briars can't stop taxes, much as I wish they could."

"I know, I just..." She glanced at Kjona. "I wish you would find a different profession. One that  _ doesn't _ involve you being a wanted criminal."

Kjona raised a finger. "That only happened a few times, and it was considered a false accusation."

"Yes, because Maven Black-Briar  _ bribed _ the guards for you."

Kjona shrugged and grinned. "I didn't have to go to jail, though."

Mjoll sighed. "Lucia won't like that you're leaving again."

Kjona nodded, her grin fading. "I know. I don't really like it either. But I'll be back before she can notice."

"You say that every time, and it's never true."

"I mean it, this time." Kjona crossed her arms over her chest. "From what I read, I won't be gone more than a few days."

Mjoll sighed again. "All right. I'll let Lucia know you're leaving."

Kjona nodded her thanks. "I'll send word if anything changes. Thank you for watching after her."

Kjona chose not to hear what Mjoll muttered. Everyone seemed to forget she had great hearing. 

Kjona grabbed some food and shoved it into her satchel. She took one last glance around before opening the door, a heavy feeling in her gut. 

As she walked, more people were out and about. Kjona passed the market, hearing one conversation in particular. 

"... you hear?" a woman asked. "The Hall of the Vigilant was destroyed. I heard vampires attacked them."

"Vampires? Really?" another woman asked. "You don't think they're going to become a problem, do you?"

"I should hope not. I heard news about the Dawnguard not far from here. They're vampire hunters.'

Kjona had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, even if no one could see her. Vampires weren't as big of a threat as everyone made them out to be, and they were mostly just an annoyance. 

Oh, well. The people of Skyrim would believe whatever they wanted, whether it was true or not. They wouldn't have listened, anyway. 

Kjona left through the main gates of Riften, not once bothering to look back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	2. Dimhollow Crypt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

The trip to Dimhollow Crypt had been a mostly uneventful one. Kjona had entered the snowy crypt and wandered for a few minutes, cursing her parents for not giving her any resistance to the cold. There hadn't been anything worth taking that she could tell. It just looked like an old burial tomb at first glance.

That was until she stumbled upon vampires. 

Two of them stood guard near a metal gate, talking about the Vigilants they had attacked. It was a strange coincidence, considering just a few days ago, Kjona herself had heard about the Hall of the Vigilant being destroyed. 

Kjona crouched and kept her wits about her as she moved forward. Vampires typically had better hearing and smell, so they could probably find her easily if they focused. 

"... got them out of the way," the woman was saying. "How foolish of them to think they could take on vampires and survive."

The other vampire laughed. "We both know mortals are a foolish race. And with Lord Harkon's plans, there will be no stopping us."

Kjona narrowed her eyes. She didn't like the sound of that. 

"That's if Lokil can even find Lady Serana," the woman said. "I hear he's had no luck so far. Lady Valerica was a madwoman, and she likely didn't even remember what crypt she stuffed her daughter into."

"I have faith Lokil will find her and bring her back to Lord Harkon," the other vampire said, his tone bitter. "Do not doubt them."

The woman scoffed. "I lost my faith in Lokil some time ago. He is nothing but a child playing at-"

"Watch your tongue," the man hissed. "Or should I tell Lord Harkon of your ignorance?"

Kjona took a deep breath and unsheathed her swords. She didn't like whatever it was they were talking about. She would have to inform someone of what was going on. 

Kjona stood, purposefully making her footfalls louder. "I hate to ruin the party," she said, "but I have no intention of letting you bloodsuckers get away with this plan of yours."

Both vampires turned to her, their orange eyes glowing against the dark of the cave. The man bared his fangs at her. "Where did you come from?"

He lunged at Kjona, his fist swiping at her. Kjona danced out of the way on the balls of her feet. 

The woman hissed at her and raised her hand, some red magic forming in her palm. She pointed it at Kjona, red wisps of light coming toward her. 

"I don't know what kind of freaky vampire magic you have going on," Kjona said, "but I'd like for you to stop." 

Kjona darted forward, her swords out. She sliced at the woman until she had an opening and then thrust both her blades into the woman's chest. She lifted the woman in the air for just a moment before tossing her lifeless body to the ground. 

The remaining vampire growled and jumped onto Kjona's back, his claws digging into her shoulders. "You won't leave here alive, mortal."

"Funny. I was going to say the same about you."

Kjona twisted and rammed her back into a stone pillar. The vampire groaned and let go of her, falling to the ground. He tried getting up, but Kjona already had her blade against his throat. She sliced it before he could get a chance to attack. 

Kjona sighed and flicked the blood off of her blades before sheathing them. She glanced around the room, seeing several bodies littered around. A few were in robes she had seen before on her travels. 

She'd always thought the Vigilants of Stendarr were some of the stupidest people in Skryim. They had good intentions, sure, but they were just bringing bad things to themselves. If you went out and looked for trouble, it always found you. 

The destruction of the Hall of the Vigilant should have never happened if they had just kept to themselves. 

Kjona shook her head and moved forward. She looked around for a chain or lever of some sort, her frustration growing when she saw nothing. She glanced around the small cave, letting out a deep breath when she saw a small, well-lit tower. 

_ Of course, _ Kjona thought bitterly as she made her way over to the decrepit building.  _ Ancient Nords just  _ had  _ to make everything more complicated than it needed to be. _

She searched the building, feeling less and less enthused about finally getting out again every second she spent in this crypt. 

Kjona walked up stone steps that looked ready to collapse at any second. She rolled her eyes when she saw a chain dangling on a wall next to a window. She tugged on it, sighing when the gate the vampires had been hanging around began to open.

Really, other than to piss off tomb raiders, what was the point of putting the chain so far away?

Kjona made her way back to the metal gate, grumbling as she did so. She used to love adventuring like this when she was younger; after her accident, though, she completely lost interest. She still liked going out and stealing things. She just wished they didn't have unnecessary steps. 

The deeper Kjona went into the crypt, the more it started to seem like an actual tomb. Overgrown roots littered the floor that she had no idea how they had even gotten down so far. Bones were on the ground as well, and Kjona really didn't want to think about how they had gotten there. 

The corridor she was walking in opened into a large room, a small water path going through the middle of the room. Kjona shook her head and continued walking, trying her best to not step in the water. She passed unopened coffins that she really hoped weren't going to crack open the second her back was turned. 

She passed by rock mounds as well, her brows furrowing at the freshly lit candles beside them. She didn't think vampires would have lit them if they were only here to search for something. 

Kjona wondered why they were even searching for this... Who was it? Lady Serana? Was she a powerful person that would help them with whatever plan they were devising?

She supposed it didn't really matter. She would need to make sure that person never got the chance to help the vampires. 

Kjona continued, making her way to another downed gate. Thankfully, the lever to open it was on a rock in front of the gate. She pulled it, wincing when the gate began to screech as it opened. 

The room she walked into was well-lit, with torches along the walls and a small fire in the middle. More coffins were on the sides of the room and built into the floor. There were already some lifeless draugr on the ground. The other vampires must have taken care of them already. 

Kjona sighed again as she continued.  _ Did they have to make crypts so big? I want to go home already. _

She walked into a larger room with slots on the walls where more draugr and skeletons lay. There were the sounds of fighting as she entered. 

Kjona slipped into the shadows, calling upon Nocturnal to help her blend in better. 

"That seems to be the last of them," a woman said. "Come on. I wouldn't be surprised if we woke up more."

Kjona crept through the shadows, silently unsheathing her swords as she did so. She peeked around a wall before darting over to another. 

"Did you hear something?" a man asked. "Did we wake up more in here?"

"I didn't hear anything. Maybe being down here has made you lose your mind."

The woman snickered as it sounded like the man smacked her. 

Kjona shook her head as she moved forward. She peeked around another wall, her eyes narrowing when she saw two vampires searching the room. 

She silently made her way to the man, moving into an offensive stance. She sped forward, her swords out. They went through the man's abdomen before he noticed there was someone behind him.

"What the-"

The man threw his arm back, but Kjona ducked under it. She stood quickly and kicked the man's back, sending him forward onto his knees. 

"You all right over there?" the woman vampire asked. She looked from behind a pillar. "When did you get here?"

"Sneaky mortal," the man snarled. He stood and faced Kjona, his wounds already healing. "You've never dealt with vampires, have you? You have to go for the-"

"Head or heart, I know." Kjona danced back as he swung at her again. "Like this?"

She thrust one of her swords forward, sending the blade into the man's chest, right where his heart was. He staggered back, his hands reaching up to his chest. 

The woman vampire hissed and lunged at Kjona, claws growing from her fingertips. She swiped quickly, only barely catching Kjona's hood. 

"Damn," Kjona muttered. "You know how much it's gonna cost to get this fixed? I hope you're paying for it."

Okay, she was overexaggerating, but it really did cost a lot to repair her Nightingale armor. It wasn't like it was common, after all. 

Kjona raised her arm as the vampire swiped at her again. Her claws clanged off of Kjona's armor. 

"All right, I'm bored," Kjona said as she swiped one sword across the vampire's leg, the other slicing across her exposed throat. She raised her arm as the vampire fell to the ground. "Whatever is down here better be worth it."

Kjona continued forward, sheathing her swords as she walked. The corridors got thinner and darker the further down she went. It was a good thing she didn't have much trouble seeing in the dark. 

The next room had a large pit of water in it. Water gushed from the ceiling into the pit, spraying Kjona slightly. She groaned internally before moving forward. 

Just how big was this crypt, anyway?

She made her way through more ruined tombs and resting places, her lip curling slightly in disgust. No matter how easy it was, she always hated being so far below ground with the undead. 

She passed giant frostbite spider eggs, purposefully ignoring them. She didn't want to fight giant  _ spiders _ on top of everything else. It would just be overkill at that point.

The crypt turned back into a cave not long after, smokey wisps coming from the ground. Kjona paused for just a moment. "Yeah, that's not creepy."

She continued, a chill running up her spine when she walked into the next room. There was a door guarded by two gargoyles, and they seemed to be watching her, even though she knew they were statues. Even so, she eyed them as she passed, not turning her back to them until she reached the door. 

She didn't want to think about why an ancient Nordic crypt had a random door in it. It was unlike any other crypt she had been in before. 

Kjona opened the door slowly, trying to listen for anything on the other side. She only saw more gargoyles in the room in front of her.

"Oh, hell," Kjona muttered. "If you come to life on me-"

"... know anything else!" a voice shouted. Kjona paused. "Please. I don't know anything about a prophecy."

Kjona crept forward, peeking over a railing.

Just below her were three figures—a shirtless man that looked one step away from death and two vampires. The man had his hands tied behind his back and one of the vampires standing before him. The other was standing near, their hands behind their back. 

"It's clear he knows nothing, Lokil," the vampire standing some distance away said. "Just kill him and be done with it. Lady Serana should be around here somewhere."

The vampire in front of the man sighed and pulled out a dagger. "I thought you Vigilants would know more than this."

Kjona turned away just as the vampire slid the blade against the man's throat. She grit her teeth, her fingers clenching around the railing in front of her. 

"Have hope," one of the vampires said. "Lady Serana has to be here. We cannot accept failure."

The other vampire scoffed. "As if Lord Harkon would allow us to continue living if we came back empty-handed. Just keep looking."

The vampires moved to a large, circular platform above the body of water in the room. Kjona took that as her chance to continue. 

She silently made her way down the stairs leading to the area she had just been watching. The remaining vampires were now searching the platform, a skeleton shambling behind them.

Kjona glanced at the man the vampires had killed, grimacing slightly. It was a rough way to go. 

She melted into the shadows once more as she made her way over the bridge. She unsheathed her swords as she approached one of the vampires. 

"There has to be a way around this," the vampire Kjona was farthest away from said. "Lady Valerica might have gone insane, but she was a genius at one point."

"Perhaps it requires blood to open," the woman vampire said. Kjona still crept closer to her. "We should have kept that mortal alive, Lokil."

Lokil scoffed. "He was of no use to us. We'll figure it out."

Kjona stood and flipped her sword in her hand before stabbing the blade through the vampire's chest, right where their heart would be.

The vampire grunted and looked down at the blade protruding from their chest. They looked over their shoulder at Kjona, who simply waved at them.

Kjona raised her leg and kicked the vampire to the ground. It took one hit to bring down the skeleton. 

Lokil hummed when Kjona melted back into view. "You'll do."

He lunged at her, claws growing from his fingertips. He bared his fangs at her when she just barely dodged him.

"I'm sorry to say, but my blood is off-limits. No vampire will ever get a drop of it."

Lokil raised his hand and pushed it at her. Kjona just barely saw the red light coming toward her before she was being thrust backward. She landed on her back and slid against the stones until she hit a pillar. 

Lokil quickly made his way over to her, his face serious. "I require Lady Serana's help, and it seems that your blood will do the trick."

"You really don't know what you're getting yourself into," Kjona said. She stood and backed away from Lokil. "I have no love for vampires. You'll die like the rest of your kin."

Lokil laughed. "You've never faced a master vampire before, have you? I am much stronger than those imbeciles."

Kjona narrowed her eyes and dodged another swipe. "Are you?" She jabbed her sword forward, catching his forearm. "Doesn't look like it."

Lokil hissed at her and lunged again. "Foolish mortal. Your arrogance will be your death."

Kjona blocked his claws with her sword. "You keep talking like you're-"

She wasn't able to finish her sentence. Lokil raised his hand and pushed it outward once more, sending her flying again, this time directly hitting a pillar. Her swords fell from her hands as she hit the pillar. 

Kjona fell to her hands and knees. She closed her eyes briefly and breathed deeply. She stood shakily, her hands on her knees as she reopened her eyes and lifted her head. Lokil stalked toward her, giving her only a moment to roll out of the way as more magic came toward her.

She grabbed one of her swords and stood once more, wielding it with two hands. "You know I can't let you leave here."

"I would like to see you stop me, mortal."

Lokil lunged at Kjona, swiping at her. In turn, Kjona raised her sword and blocked his hand, dancing back. She was getting awfully close to the edge of the platform. 

Lokil tilted his head at Kjona, raising his hands. Magic formed in the palms of his hands. "You've nowhere left to run."

Kjona glanced behind her, the heel of her foot on the edge of the platform. "You should know to never corner someone who has something to lose." She took a deep breath. " _ Wuld Nah Kest _ !"

Kjona shot forward with the wind, her blade out. She collided with Lokil, the sharp end of her sword going straight through his chest. He stumbled back from the force of Kjona ramming into him, but he wasn't able to get far. 

Lokil looked down at the sword protruding from his chest, his hands raising. "H-How..."

Kjona raised her leg and kicked him to the ground, unsheathing her blade from his chest as she did so. "You vampires are so arrogant. You think you're gods, but you forget us mortals have tricks up our sleeves. You're nothing more than a disease."

Blood slipped out of Lokil's mouth. "Lord Harkon will... succeed..."

"If you're all he has to offer?" Kjona asked. "I highly doubt that."

She slid her blade across his throat, turning away as she did so. She'd always hated having to kill people, but... Well, she supposed vampires weren't really  _ people _ . Not to her, anyway. 

Kjona sighed and flicked the blood off her sword before sheathing it at her hip. She shook her head as she walked to pick up her other. 

"Damn vampires," she muttered as she walked to where a basin was in the middle of the platform. "Always ruining everything. This was supposed to be a  _ simple _ job!" she shouted to no one in particular. 

Kjona cocked her head to the side. What the hell was she supposed to do here? Whatever the Thieves Guild's client said was valuable must have been within the platform somewhere. 

_ The vampires mentioned needing blood, _ Kjona thought with a glance to her hand.  _ Do I... Should I use my own blood? _

There was a spike in the middle of the basin. Kjona didn't know how dirty the spike was or when it had last been cleaned, but... To hell with it. She had bandages, and if she needed to, she would stop somewhere and purchase a cure disease potion.

Kjona slipped the glove off her hand and put it over the spike. But before she could even think to slice her hand on it, the spike suddenly shot up out of the basin, going straight through her hand.

Kjona cried out and gripped her wrist, her fingers twitching as blood dripped from her hand into the basin. A moment later, the spike sunk back into the basin, and Kjona yanked her hand back, cradling it to her chest. She used her non-injured hand to dig through the satchel at her waist, pulling out bandages and wrapping them tightly around her hand.

"What Nord asshole built this place?" Kjona grumbled, tying the bandage. She glanced around, narrowing her eyes at the purple wisps of light that rose from the ground. More basins had appeared, as well. "Oh, that's just lovely."

One of the basins already seemed to be lit and connected, so she moved to an unlit one. She pushed it with her foot to a spot in front of the basin. The ground shook slightly as more purple wisps of light rose from the ground. 

Kjona took a deep breath and continued moving the basins until all were connected to the one in the middle of the platform. Once the final was lit, the ground shook more violently, nearly knocking Kjona off her feet. 

The basin in the middle of the platform began to rise. Kjona hesitantly made her way over to it, slipping her glove back over her hand as she did so. 

She narrowed her eyes as what looked like a coffin rose from the ground.  _ I swear to every god out there, if this is a draugr deathlord- _

Something within the coffin cracked, and dust rose from one of the walls. The door to the coffin fell forward slowly, giving Kjona enough time to step back before she was crushed. 

Once the dust cleared, a young woman tumbled out of the coffin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	3. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

The one thing Serana didn't expect was to be suddenly thrown back into consciousness. Wherever she had been in her dreamless slumber had been peaceful. She felt at ease. 

Now, though, she could feel herself falling. She reached out as she opened her eyes, nearly hissing at the light. 

She collided with something softer than the stone floor beneath her, but the cool metal on whatever she hit wasn't really any better. Her hands reached up to grasp onto something solid as limbs wrapped around her waist. 

Serana froze. Had her mother finally come back for her? Was her father finally gone?

Serana lifted her head slowly. The face she looked into, however, was most certainly not her mother. 

Well, there wasn't a face to begin with. Whoever had kept her from hitting the ground had a metal mask over their face and a hood over their head that shadowed their features. They looked... intimidating, to say the least. 

Serana grasped their biceps and steadied herself on her feet. The person in front of her let her go gently, their hands hovering over her for a second before they stepped away. 

Serana raised a hand to her forehead, rubbing it gently. She blinked at the person standing before her. "You... are not my mother."

"And you're not a draugr deathlord. You're a vampire. Guess neither of us are happy to be in this situation, hm?"

Serana eyed the stranger in front of her. "Who are you? I doubt my mother would just send lackeys to find me."

The stranger crossed their arms over their chest. Serana could see two swords sheathed at their hips. "I assume you're Lady Serana? My name is Kjona. I was sent to find something valuable down in Dimhollow Crypt, but..." They shrugged. "I find it hard to believe  _ you _ were the valuable thing down here."

Serana chose to ignore that for now. Anger wouldn't get her anywhere right now, not when there were already several bodies littered around her coffin. She could have taken down this mortal in front of her easily if she hadn't been locked away for gods knew how long. 

Serana assumed the "valuable item" was the Elder Scroll on her back. Its weight was almost comforting. 

"I have a proposition for you."

The stranger was silent for a moment. "I'm listening."

"I have a feeling I was down here longer than I was supposed to be. I... I need to get back home. See how things are." Serana fidgeted with her fingers. "If I were to pay you, do you think you could take me there? You wouldn't have an  _ item _ , but I could give you enough to get by."

The stranger - Kjona, Serana corrected - sighed deeply. "Fine. I don't suppose I really have a choice in the matter." They began moving forward. "Let's go."

Serana was nearly taken aback. She was surprised by how easy that was.

"Where's your home?" Kjona asked. "If it's farther than a three-day walk, you can find someone else."

What was this person so grouchy about? It wasn't like  _ they _ had just woken up after possibly centuries to a stranger that clearly wasn't fond of vampires, if the bodies were any indication. 

"It's to the northwest of Solitude, on a little island. At least, it should be."

Kjona nodded but said nothing else. Serana didn't like how quiet it was. 

"Can I ask you something?"

"I'd prefer if you didn't."

Serana rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let some snotty mortal intimidate her. "What year is it? I... I need to know how long I was in there."

More silence. Serana was about to repeat herself, but Kjona said, "Fourth Era, two hundred and second year."

That made Serana nearly stop in her tracks. She was inside that coffin longer than she should have been. Was her mother even still alive? Was her father?

"Now, will you please be quiet?" Kjona asked. Their fists were clenched at their sides. "There's more of your kind crawling around in here. I'd like to make it out of here  _ without _ a disease."

Serana didn't like the way they said  _ your kind. _ "What's the problem? If any of them see me, they should let me go."

"The problem is that I'm just some weak mortal woman with a vampire beside me. Sure, they'll let you go, but they'll kill me or make me a thrall." She scoffed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a vampire has no qualms about letting a mortal die."

"What makes you think that?" Serana asked, her anger rising once more. "Not all of us are like that. Some of us are content living within your society."

"Too few of you are. Too  _ many _ of you are more than happy to kill and drain the blood of those defenseless. I won't stand for it."

"And I won't stand for you putting everyone under a blanket when not all of us are like the vampires you hate. Doesn't it say something that I haven't tried to kill you yet?"

Kjona glanced back at her. "You couldn't even if you did try."

Serana felt her magic build up. She would prove this woman wrong, one way or another. 

Serana shot out her hand, a red aura coming from her palm. Kjona froze, her body going stiff. She looked back at Serana, who was now walking toward her angrily. 

However, she never got the chance to do anything. Kjona muttered something under her breath, and the next second, she disappeared from view. It took only one moment for Kjona to reappear in front of Serana, her hands gripping the front of Serana's clothing. 

Kjona pushed Serana against a broken pillar, looming over half a head taller than her. "You think I haven't seen nearly every trick in the book?" she snapped. She shoved Serana harder. "I should just leave you here to rot."

Serana reached up to grip Kjona's wrists, using her vampire strength to try and loosen them. Kjona didn't even look strong, but  _ damn _ . 

She hated not being able to see under Kjona's hood and mask. What expression was she making? 

"Let go of me," Serana said, "or I  _ will _ drain your blood."

Kjona chuckled humorlessly and let go. "After I take you back to your home, I never want to see you again. I won't be as nice next time."

Serana straightened her clothing. "You won't."

It was hard for Serana to think vampires were  _ this _ hated around Tamriel. What had happened while she was gone? Had things really changed that much?

As much as Serana wanted to ask more questions, she knew she would get nowhere. Kjona clearly wanted nothing to do with her, and was only helping her because money was involved. 

She shouldn't have been surprised. The fact that Kjona was keeping her face hidden likely meant she was a criminal, so of course she would do just about anything for some gold.

Kjona led them up a steep hill that was home to more coffins. Draugr laid around the stone floor beneath them, their weapons scattered across the floor. 

Kjona moved to open the large iron gate blocking them from continuing. She pulled on the lever, and... nothing. She fidgeted with it again, but it didn't seem to work. 

"Great," Kjona mumbled. "Just what I needed today."

Serana glanced around. "We could always turn back? Try that way?"

But Kjona shook her head. "That'll take ages. That's usually how these caves are, and I'd much rather get out of here as soon as possible."

"You're... an adventurer, then?"

"I'd really like it if you stopped talking."

Despite everything, Serana couldn't help her smile. If she was going to be stuck with someone with a stick so far up their ass, she could at least have some fun. 

Kjona looked around. "Help me with this gate, will you?"

Kjona crouched and put her hands on the gate. Serana really didn't see how this would work, all things considered, but she supposed it was worth a try. 

"There's a pulley on the other side," Kjona said as they started lifting. "If one of us can get underneath, maybe we can get it open that way." They lifted the gate until there was a small opening underneath. "You go. I'll hold it open long enough for you to get in."

Serana nodded and let go of the gate to roll under it. It fell shut behind her. 

She found the pulley easily, and reached for it as she stood. But she paused before pulling it. Another smile found its way to her face. 

Kjona crossed her arms. "What are you waiting for? Pull it."

"You know," Serana said, "you really should be nicer to people. If I don't pull this, you're stuck out there, and you'd have to go the long way to get to me."

Serana could practically feel Kjona's anger. "Open the damn gate."

Serana shrugged. "Nothing is stopping me from leaving you out there. I could find someone else to help me by the time you make it back out of this tomb."

Kjona stepped up to the gate, her hands gripping the iron bars. "Listen here, bloodsucker-"

"Ah, ah," Serana said with a grin. Oh, she was really enjoying this. "Did no one ever teach you manners? Ask nicely, and I'll open the gate."

Kjona sighed deeply. "Will you  _ please _ open the gate?"

"There." Serana pulled the pulley. The gate slowly slid open. "Was that so-"

Kjona harshly shoved her shoulder. "Pull another stunt like that, and it'll be the last thing you do."

Serana rubbed her shoulder and continued following Kjona.  _ That was a bit unnecessary. _

"Lighten up a little," Serana said. Kjona glanced back at her. "The world won't end just because I'm traveling with you."

Kjona remained silent. She was walking fast, and Serana wasn't sure if it was because of her long legs or if she was purposely walking that way.

Surprisingly, they didn't run into any more vampires. The only things they had run into were skeletons and some draugr that were still roaming the halls. Kjona took them down easily, not giving Serana time to even think to fight back.

Serana narrowed her eyes at Kjona's back, her cape flowing behind her. Had everyone just gotten taller, or was Kjona not a Nord? Her name was certainly Nordic, and she spoke like one, too, but... Maybe Serana was just shorter than she remembered.

After several minutes of walking seemingly aimlessly, Serana asked, "Do you even know where we're going?"

"Yes."

"Really? Looks like we're lost."

"Do you have a better idea?" Kjona snapped. She threw her hands in the air. "At this rate, I'll just leave you as soon as we get out and you can make it back to your home on your own." 

Kjona led them through another corridor, one Serana hadn't seen before. Good. At least they were making progress. 

The room they stepped into, however, looked almost like an arena. There were stone seats everywhere, and near the circular arena, there were large chairs that several skeletons sat in.

Kjona silently moved forward, unsheathing her blades. The room wasn't well-lit, but Serana assumed neither of them would have issues. 

One of the skeletons with some flesh still on its bones moved, lifting its head to them. It stood slowly, creaking as it did so. 

"Ah," Kjona said. "There's the draugr deathlord."

The draugr made its way to them, its sword dragging on the ground behind it. Other skeletons rose from their chairs, as well. 

Kjona went after the draugr, leaving Serana to deal with the skeletons. She tried not to let it bother her. 

Serana readied her magic in her hands, but she never got the chance to do anything. Kjona bumped into her as she dodged the draugr's blade. Serana stumbled forward a step, glaring over her shoulder. 

"Get out of my way," Kjona said, shoving Serana with her shoulder. 

" _ You _ were in  _ my _ way!"

Before either of them could point fingers more, the draugr took in a deep breath before a force of air was coming their way. It knocked Serana to the ground, but Kjona barely budged. 

Serana moved to stand, but she saw Kjona's hand already reaching for her. "Come on. Just... Stay out of each other's way."

Serana reached out, but she hesitated. Instead of grabbing Kjona's hand, she stood by herself. "Fine by me."

Kjona shook her head. "Last time I try to be nice," she muttered, probably assuming Serana couldn't hear her. "Let's get this over with."

Serana shot ice bolts at the skeletons that tried to attack her. They went down easily, and once they were finished, she turned to the draugr Kjona was still fighting. 

The draugr shouted at Kjona, and there was another gust of air. Kjona put her arms in front of her face in an  _ x _ as she only took a step back. The draugr raised its sword and swung it down at an unsuspecting Kjona. 

It never got the chance to attack her. Serana sent an ice bolt through its arm, causing its sword to go off course. Its sword just barely missed Kjona's forearm. 

It turned its head toward Serana, taking in another deep breath. Kjona took this chance to dart forward, stabbing both her swords into the draugr's chest. 

The draugr paused, turning its head toward Kjona now. 

_ Way to go, dumbass, _ Serana thought as the draugr raised its foot to kick Kjona back. 

Kjona stumbled back, her swords slipping out of the draugr's chest. "Oh, give me a break," she grumbled, raising her sword to spin on her heel and swipe it across the draugr's throat, nearly severing its head. 

"Don't even," Kjona said, sheathing her swords. 

She wasn't even going to say anything, but now she felt like she had to. The only thing stopping her was the anger that seemed to be rolling off of Kjona in waves. 

How far did that stick go up her ass?

Kjona was quiet the rest of the way out of the tomb, despite Serana's numerous attempts to talk to her. She would mainly just glance back at Serana, and although she had a hood and mask covering her features, Serana could swear she saw a glare in those shadowy features. 

After the fight with the draugr, it didn't take them long to leave the tomb. Kjona led them up a steep, snowy incline to the exit. Or, what Serana assumed was the exit. It was awfully bright. 

Kjona stepped outside first, clearly unbothered by the bright sun. Serana, on the other hand, grumpily pulled on her hood.  _ You couldn't have waited to wake me up until it was nighttime? _

She was kidding. Mostly. 

"Are you ready to go?" Kjona asked, crossing her arms over her chest again. "We have places to be."

Serana rolled her eyes. "Seems like you're more excited to get to my home than I am."

"I'm just glad you're almost off my hands."

All right,  _ now _ Serana was getting angry. "You really don't know when to let up, do you? Do you think I wanted to wake up in an asshole's arms that constantly lets me know I'm 'inferior' to her?"

Kjona turned to her. She bowed her head. "I... I didn't mean that. I'm... sorry."

Oh, she definitely did mean it, but Serana knew an attempt at empathy when she saw one. 

She sighed and pat Kjona on the shoulder, trying not to notice the way she flinched away. "Let's just go. The sooner I get back home, the better."

Kjona stayed silent in front of her, and Serana could only hope things wouldn't escalate the more they traveled together. 

Going back to her home was going to be bad enough. She didn't need to have someone else always griping at her on the way there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Castle Volkihar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

_ The arrow went straight through her shoulder, the end sticking out. But... something was wrong. It didn't feel right. Kjona lifted one hand to her shoulder as her eyes began to droop.  _

_ No. No poison would work that fast... right? _

_ She collapsed to her knees, trying her hardest to keep her eyes open. Mercer put a hand on her good shoulder, and he was saying something, but Kjona couldn't make out what words were coming from his mouth if her life depended on it.  _

_ Kjona fell forward, onto her good shoulder. She tried moving, but she found herself paralyzed on the ground.  _

_ Her eyes closed for just a moment, and when she reopened them, she heard someone talking.  _

_ "... against you would be suicide. I'm not a fool, Mercer." _

_ "I'll kill you, Karliah. You can't hide forever!" _

_ Her eyes closed once more. They only reopened when she heard someone move in front of her.  _

_ Mercer was crouched in front of her, looking at her with emotionless eyes. "Wake up, kid." _

_ Kjona tried moving again, but her body refused. She could only stare ahead of her.  _

Help me, _ she thought.  _ Why are you just sitting there?

_ Mercer sighed and raised his sword. "You know, I was just going to kill you myself in here. Blame your death on an accident. No one would care if you went missing, anyway. And the Thieves Guild would believe me any day. Karliah just made it easier for me to get the drop on you." _

_ Kjona tried her hardest to move, to do anything. But whatever poison had been on that arrow had completely paralyzed her.  _

_ Mercer smiled. "I always knew you were a bad omen, ever since Brynjolf brought your scrawny self into the cistern." He huffed a laugh. "I'll be sure to give him your regards." _

_ The next thing Kjona saw was Mercer stabbing her through the chest, his blade piercing even her rib cage. But she could do nothing. She couldn't grunt, couldn't try to fight him off. She was utterly helpless and scared shitless.  _

So, _ she thought again, watching Mercer walk away.  _ This is where it ends.

_ She was barely of age. For the last five years, all she had known was the family within the Thieves Guild. Was it really over so soon? Was she really going to die, betrayed by one of her own? _

_ The last thing Kjona saw was a blur of what looked like a person moving toward her. A woman faded into her vision, her expression filled with concern. She was speaking, her lips moving, but Kjona heard nothing. _

_ Her eyes closed for a final time. _

Kjona woke with a jolt, a chill running through her limbs. She raised a hand to her chest, breathing deeply. 

Gods. She hadn't revisited that in years. Why was she dreaming of it now?

Kjona glanced around.  _ Ah. Right. _

The campfire she had built was dying now, only embers left. She must have fallen asleep some time ago, if the fire was already out. 

Kjona squinted, trying to look for a certain vampire around her makeshift camp. Her vision at night wasn't as good as a Khajiit's, but she could still  _ see. _ And from where she was looking, she didn't see any sign of the ancient vampire. 

Okay, she probably wasn't ancient, but she sure acted that way. 

Kjona stood slowly, keeping an eye out on her surroundings. Where could she have gone?

And was her new vampire companion the reason for her strange dream? Did her subconscious think she was going to be betrayed yet again and killed?

It certainly was a possibility. 

"Lady Serana?" Kjona asked, walking forward. "Are you still around?"

She really didn't care. She  _ didn't. _ If anything, she just wanted to see if she still needed to waste her time bringing a very capable vampire back to her home. 

A twig snapped behind her. Kjona turned her head, nearly having a heart attack when she only saw two glowing orange eyes staring at her from beside a tree. 

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up," Serana said, her voice quiet. "Were you that worried about me?"

Kjona crossed her arms over her chest and moved to face Serana fully. "No."

_ Yes. _

Choosing to ignore her own thoughts, Kjona continued. "I just wanted to know if you had left so I could stop wasting my time."

Serana moved away from the tree. "Mhm."

Okay, so she wasn't convinced, but truthfully, neither was Kjona. She wasn't as pissy as she was earlier that day, but she still wasn't happy about her current situation. She was traveling with a  _ vampire _ , for gods' sakes. 

"If you're done napping, let's get going. I want to get home."

Kjona rolled her eyes. "Fine. Come on. We're nearly there, anyway."

They still had about a day to go, if they didn't stop often. 

They walked in silence for a few moments before Kjona's curiosity got the better of her. "Where did you go, anyway?"

" _ I'd really like it if you stopped talking _ ," Serana said in a voice and accent that was clearly meant to mock Kjona's earlier statement. 

The hair on the back of Kjona's neck bristled. "Don't tell me, then. I didn't even want to know."

Serana laughed. "You are such a terrible liar."

Kjona found a smile itching its way onto her lips, but she fought it down. Serana couldn't see her expression either way, but she still didn't like the idea of smiling at a vampire. It seemed against her morals, or what morals she even had. 

Neither of them said a word the rest of the way.

* * *

The sun was just setting over the horizon when they arrived at Serana's home.

The closer they got, the more Serana could feel her anxieties rising. She wasn't sure what to do. She would need to go inside and figure out the current situation surrounding her family, but... Well. Kjona's welcome would likely be more affectionate than the one she would receive here, and that was saying a lot. 

"Is this it?" Kjona asked, standing beside Serana with her arms crossed. "Seems a little... small."

Typical. 

"It's bigger than it looks. It was pretty easy for me to get lost here when I was a kid."

Serana wrung her hands in front of her, her brows furrowing. 

"Do you need anything else?" Kjona said. "Or can I be on my way?"

"Could you... do one last thing for me?"

Kjona tensed. "What?"

Serana took a deep breath, glancing at the small boat on the shore. "Would you come inside with me? You're about the friendliest face I've seen-" she ignored Kjona laughing at that "-and I really don't know what I'm going to face in there. It... It would mean a lot to me if you would come with me. I'll pay you extra if I need to."

Kjona was quiet, her arms still crossed. "Mm, all right. Might as well, since I've already come this far." She nudged the boat with her foot. "Is there someone inside you think will be dangerous?"

Serana shook her head. "No, no, nothing like that. My father may be power-hungry, but he would never hurt me. I just... My parents weren't exactly...  _ parent _ material, if you know what I mean. Always fighting, never caring about who was around them when they'd go on their power trips. It was exhausting."

"I see," Kjona said, quieter than she had been. She seemed to be thinking about something. "Well, if he does try to hurt you, I'll protect you, I suppose. That'll cost extra, though."

Of course. Serana really shouldn't have let her hopes up around  _ Kjona, _ of all people. Whether or not she was joking didn't matter. From the way she had been acting, Serana just assumed she was serious. 

"I... appreciate it. I think." Serana shook her head again and moved to climb into the boat. "Come on. Let's just get this over with."

Kjona hummed and climbed in after her, grabbing the oar. "What if your father tries to kill me instead? What happens then?"

Serana smiled. "Well, just keep your mouth shut, and you should be fine."

Kjona remained silent yet again. She sat in front of Serana, pushing them closer and closer to Castle Volkihar. 

Serana put her chin in the palm of her hand, narrowing her eyes at Kjona. She was suspicious of how... well, not nice she was being, but how decent she was acting. Maybe Serana talking about her own parents reminded Kjona of hers? 

It was a possibility, but Serana didn't know for sure. It's not like Kjona was an open book.

"Do you need something?" Kjona asked, turning her head to Serana. "Or are you just going to keep staring at me?"

Serana turned her head away, raising her hand to cover the blush rising to her cheeks. "I wasn't staring."

"Uh-huh."

Serana glanced back at Kjona. She was looking away, gazing at the water. 

She shouldn't have cared, but she was curious what was under that mask and hood. What was Kjona hiding? Would she be in danger if someone saw her face?

Serana looked away. It didn't matter. After this, they would never see each other again. 

She didn't want to think about why that upset her. 

"We're here," Kjona said as the boat hit land. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you can just offer money left and right when you're practically a princess."

Serana rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the boat. For good measure, she kicked it, smiling when she heard Kjona grunt as she hit the floor. 

"Easy, bloodsucker. Don't get cocky now."

Kjona climbed out of the boat, brushing off imaginary dirt. 

Serana was still, watching the castle. It looked so empty. Sure, it had never been lively to begin with, all things considered, but now it just seemed dead. 

Distantly, she wondered if there was anyone even still alive inside. Or, as alive as vampires could be.

"What are you waiting for?" Kjona asked. "I'd like to just get this over with."

"It's not easy facing your estranged father," she answered quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest, gripping her biceps. "Just... Let me do the talking, all right? I'd rather you didn't die in there."

"What do you care? I'd think you'd  _ want _ more blood to drain."

Serana walked forward, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I'm not like them. I wish you would just see that already."

"Yeah, that's not likely." Kjona was silent for a moment. "Look, my opinion of you doesn't matter. Same as your opinion of me doesn't matter. We'll never see each other again. Why are you so worked up about it?"

She had a point, one Serana was already aware of. She should have just let it go.

Serana sighed as she walked up the stone bridge. She eyed the stone gargoyles as she passed. She wouldn't have been surprised if any of them suddenly burst open.

As they approached, Serana saw a man already standing by the gate. He looked ready to fall asleep standing. 

Serana cleared her throat as she stopped in front of the closed gate. Kjona paused beside her, putting a hand on one of her swords. 

Serana gave her a subtle head shake, but Kjona just gripped her sword harder. 

The man waiting at the gate jerked, blinking rapidly at them. "H-Halt!" he exclaimed, raising his blade. "You're trespassing on private- wait. Lady Serana?" The man brightened. "Oh, it really is you! Please, come in. Your father will be delighted to hear you've returned."

Serana nodded her thanks at the man. She glanced behind her, noticing how Kjona had stepped closer to her. Why, Serana didn't know. 

Shaking her head slightly, Serana continued forward. The man pushed open the large doors for her, bowing as he did so. 

The stench of blood hit Serana right as the doors opened. She took a step back, covering her nose. 

"Why am I not surprised?" Kjona muttered, just loud enough for Serana to hear. "Your vampire friends seem real lovely right now. What was that about generalizing?"

Serana clenched her fists at her sides and continued forward. They passed by another vampire that eyed Kjona. 

If her heart still beat, she was sure it would be thundering in her chest. She felt the eyes of several vampires on her as she approached the balcony that looked over the main dining room. 

Kjona was silent and likely intimidating beside her. She tried not to think about whether or not it was a good idea to bring her inside. 

"Serana..." came an all too familiar voice. "You've returned."

Serana took a deep breath and made her way down the stairs. "Hello, father."

Kjona snorted quietly. " _ That's _ your father?"

Serana elbowed her, but remained quiet. 

"Join us, my daughter. Please, introduce me to your... friend."

She was tempted to glance back at Kjona, but she knew better. She just needed to give Kjona her pay and get her out. 

Harkon stood from his chair, making his way over to where they had stopped in the middle of the room. There were blood and bones everywhere, and Serana could only imagine what Kjona was thinking. 

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Serana." Harkon smiled, but it looked almost forced. 

Serana looked around. His court of underlings had their eyes on Kjona, who was now standing perfectly still beside her. If her chest hadn't been moving with her breathing, she could have been mistaken for a statue.

Harkon looked directly at Kjona, raising his glass of dark liquid. "Is it you I have to thank for bringing my daughter back safely?"

Kjona crossed her arms. "So what if I am?"

Harkon chuckled. "Don't be alarmed. I mean you no harm. After all, you brought back something precious to me." He glanced at Serana. "Do you have the scroll?"

Serana rolled her eyes and moved away from Kjona. "That's really all you wanted? Yes, I have the scroll."

"Of course I wanted to see you, too, Serana."

_ That's a load of shit. _

Harkon hummed. "I suppose my daughter offered you sums of coin to persuade you to bring her back?" Kjona remained silent. "I have a better offer for you." He held out his hand. "Join us. Become one of us. I can sense your power, and I already know you will become a powerful addition to our little family."

Serana whipped around, her eyes wide. "Father-"

"And if I refuse?"

There were gasps within Harkon's court, as well as whispers. 

Serana looked to Kjona, who was still looking at Harkon. Her hands were gripping her biceps tightly. Was she shaking from fear or anger?

With a curl of his lip, Harkon spat, "Then you will be hunted down like all other mortals who walk Nirn." He smiled suddenly, rolling his neck. He placed his glass on a nearby table. "Perhaps you need more convincing."

Serana could feel his magic within the room. She swallowed a lump growing in her throat as Harkon doubled over, darkness covering his body. Within the shadowy mass, she could have sworn she heard something growling. 

As the darkness dissipated, Harkon stood straight. Except, it wasn't him anymore.

In his place stood a beast several times taller than Serana herself. It had grey skin and long fangs that stuck out awkwardly from its mouth. Its muscles bulged, its long ears twitching. Even claws stretched from its fingertips. Wings were tucked tightly behind the beast's back. 

To her credit, Kjona stood in the same position. She wasn't even shaking anymore. She just stared, her head tilted slightly. 

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Kjona asked. "You look like a weird dog."

Harkon laughed. " _ I like this one, Serana. She has a mouth. _ "

Kjona sighed and uncrossed her arms. "Look, I don't want whatever the hell this  _ gift _ is. I don't want any part in your little cult."

" _ You wouldn't even stay for Serana? _ "

Kjona shrugged. "Why would I? Lady Serana and I had a deal, and as far as I'm concerned, that deal is done. I brought her back safely, and now, I'd like to go home."

Serana tried not to let that sting.

Harkon snarled. One of the members of his court hurriedly handed him a large coin purse. He tossed it at Kjona, who caught it easily. " _ From this day forward, I banish you from Castle Volkihar. You will be hunted down and slaughtered for your insolence. Perhaps I will let Serana do the honors. After all, that's all she is to you, right? A bloodsucker that is good for nothing more than killing innocents? _ "

Kjona remained quiet. She raised her chin. 

Harkon scoffed. " _ Begone, scum. _ "

He lazily flicked his hand in Kjona's direction, and in just a few seconds, she was gone in a cloud of darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	5. Lonesome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are a few more chapters while I finish up editing :)
> 
> Enjoy!

It was night when Kjona arrived back in Riften, exhausted. She just wanted a nice bath and to see Lucia before she passed out for gods knew how long. 

The guards nodded at her as she walked up to the gate. She waved lazily at them, sagging as she lowered her arm. 

She was close to her home. She could already see her front door-

"Kjona!" came a familiar voice. "I was wondering what happened to you, lass."

Kjona took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly. She turned to Brynjolf, who was already walking toward her. 

"Bryn," Kjona said. "Come inside. I'm exhausted."

Brynjolf followed her inside. As soon as Kjona was in her home, she heard the door to her room open. "Mama?"

Kjona lowered her hood and placed her mask on the small dining table. Lucia rubbed her eyes sleepily, blinking at Serana. 

"Hello, sweetheart," Kjona said, her voice soft. "Did I wake you?"

Lucia shook her head. Kjona crouched, wrapping an arm around Lucia's shoulders and pulling her into her chest.

"What happened to you, lass?" Brynjolf asked. "You've been gone for some time."

Kjona sighed. "There were, ah... vampires, in Dimhollow Crypt. One of them was locked away with an Elder Scroll. She wouldn't let me near it, but she gave me enough coin to compensate for it. I just had to bring her home."

"Vampires, eh?" Brynjolf hummed. "Well, it's a shame you couldn't get the Elder Scroll. But I'm glad you made it back in one piece."

Kjona ran a hand through Lucia's hair. "Well, it wasn't for lack of trying. I learned some things traveling with her and entering her home. And I don't think it's a good thing that a group of vampires have an Elder Scroll."

Brynjolf nodded. "I heard the Dawnguard are looking for recruits. Perhaps you could join them."

Kjona shrugged. She picked up Lucia and brought her back to her room. "I could, but I'd rather not." She set Lucia on her bed, pressing a kiss to her head. "I don't want to deal with vampires." 

She left her room and closed the door softly behind her. Brynjolf was staring curiously at her. 

"What?" Kjona asked. "Did you need something else?"

Brynjolf chuckled and shook his head. "Seems like a lot more happened than what you told me. You look more tense than usual."

Kjona rubbed her face. "I've never seen it before, but... One of the vampires transformed into some kind of beast. I'm sure that if he wanted to, he could have killed me easily. I... I can't imagine what would happen if more vampires could do that."

Brynjolf nodded. "And you don't think that's enough reason to go fight them?"

Kjona sighed. "It's not that simple. I'm already gone too often. I don't want to leave Lucia for gods know how long again."

"I know, lass. Think about it, all right?" Brynjolf crossed his arms. "Did anything else happen? Anything we should be aware of?"

"I don't think so." Kjona thought for a moment. "The vampire I escorted home, Lady Serana... I doubt she'll come looking for me, but in the event she does, make sure she doesn't come anywhere near Lucia. I don't want her within two meters of her."

"Do you really think she would try anything?"

Kjona shook her head. "I don't think so. She was a pain in the ass, but... I don't think she wants anything to do with me. I wasn't exactly the nicest to her."

The next thing Kjona knew, Brynjolf was smacking the back of her head. "Did I not teach you manners, lass?"

Kjona glared at him and rubbed the back of her head. "She was a vampire, Bryn."

"Vampire or not, she deserves respect. She's a lady, after all. I can't believe you've forgotten that."

Kjona rolled her eyes. "It's not like she'll ever see me again." She tilted her head slightly to the side. "What are you still doing here? I'm tired! Get out."

Brynjolf laughed and raised his hands defensively. "I'm going, I'm going. Have a good night, Kjona."

"Yeah, yeah. You too."

Kjona shut and locked her door behind Brynjolf. She took a deep breath and rested her head against the door. 

_ Vampire hunters, eh? _ Kjona asked herself. She huffed a laugh and began unbuckling her Nightingale armor.  _ Yeah, right. Like they could actually make a difference. _

Kjona set her armor on the dining table. She then made her way to her room. Lucia was still sleeping on her bed, curled into a ball. 

Kjona sat on the edge of her bed, setting a hand on Lucia's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I'll stay as long as I can. I promise."

She laid back on her bed, blowing out the candle on her nightstand. Despite how exhausted she was, she couldn't fall asleep that night.

* * *

Kjona yawned as she and Lucia walked through the Riften market. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and Lucia had woken her up early. 

"Do you know what you want?" Kjona asked, rubbing one of her eyes. "Pick out anything."

Lucia grinned at her and ran to the weapons stall. Kjona snorted.  _ Should've known. _

"Welcome, little lady!" Grelka exclaimed as Lucia walked up to her stall. She nodded. "Kjona."

"Mornin', Grelka," Kjona answered with a lazy wave of her hand. "Lucia's been wanting a bow lately. Do you have any?"

Grelka ducked under her stall for a moment. Kjona took this time to look around, running a hand through her hair. She rarely wore her Nightingale armor during the day, so nearly everyone knew what she looked like. No one in Riften knew she was a criminal. They all thought she was just a single mother. 

Kjona narrowed her eyes at two hooded figures walking through Riften, coming her way. She put a hand on Lucia's shoulder, her other moving to grasp the dagger at her thigh. 

Grelka stood straight and placed a smaller bow on her stall. "Are you going to be the one training her?" 

Kjona raised a brow. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Grelka shrugged. "No reason. It's just... Well, aren't you better with magic?"

Kjona rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not. And I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself. I'll gladly travel anywhere else for weapons if it means you'll be put out of business."

"No, no. I'm sorry." Grelka handed the bow to Lucia with a smile. "Here. How's it feel?"

Lucia weighed it in her hands. "It feels light."

Kjona hummed. "They're supposed to be. The real power lies in the string there. Try pulling it back."

Kjona crouched to help Lucia go into a proper form. She struggled to pull the string back, but that was to be expected. 

"Excuse me," came a voice from behind Kjona. 

She glanced over her shoulder to see one of the hooded figures standing over her. Her eyes widened when she saw glowing orange eyes beneath the hood. 

Kjona tensed and moved to unsheathe her dagger, but the vampire in front of her was quicker. They reached forward to grab onto the front of her clothing, lifting her in the air easily. 

"We'd recognize that voice anywhere," the other hooded figure said. "Lord Harkon sends his regards."

Kjona successfully unsheathed the dagger at her thigh, stabbing it into the wrist of the vampire holding her. They hissed and dropped her. 

"Kjona!" shouted a familiar voice. Mjoll was running toward her. 

The second hooded figure went after Lucia, but Kjona intercepted them. She tackled them to the ground, grabbing her dagger once more. 

Guards were also coming toward them now, their swords and bows unsheathed. 

"What idiotic vampire attacks during the day?" Kjona snapped. She wrestled with the vampire. "You're weaker like this."

The vampire beneath her grinned. "Oh, we knew what was going to happen. But Lord Harkon knows where you are now. He'll just keep coming after you."

Kjona's lip curled. "I'd like to see him try."

"Wait, Kjona," Mjoll said. She put a hand on Kjona's shoulder. "Let the guards take them." She bent to murmur in her ear. "You don't want Lucia to see something like this."

She stood with Mjoll's help. The guards grabbed the vampire on the ground and bound their wrists together. 

It was strange. If they really wanted to, they could have easily overpowered the guards.

Well, Kjona wasn't complaining. Not really.

"Mama!" 

A small body crashed into Kjona's legs. She crouched and pushed Lucia's hair out of her face. "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you?"

Lucia shook her head. She buried her face in Kjona's shoulder. 

Well. She supposed hunting vampires for a living didn't sound so bad now. 

* * *

Serana sighed and rubbed her eyes. She wasn't tired by any means, but the vampire beside her would not stop talking. His voice was boring and monotone. 

She hated to say it, but she missed Kjona's presence. At least she was entertaining, if a bit rude. 

All right, she was really rude, but it was better than this. 

Harkon was nowhere to be found. Serana had come to the main dining hall in hopes of speaking with him, but now she was stuck talking to an annoying underling. 

"... pet of yours?"

That got Serana's attention. She opened her eyes, her brows furrowed. "What?"

The vampire shrugged. His grin turned crooked. "I was just talking about the mortal you brought in here the other day. You should have convinced her to stay here. We could have had fun with her."

Serana felt bile rise in her throat. She assumed the man was only talking about drinking her blood, but it still brought back painful memories. 

"Why would I do that?" Serana asked. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "She's not a plaything. She deserves a chance at life like anyone else."

The man tapped his chin. "Interesting. And what makes you think this? Are the mortals not just cattle for us to drain?"

Serana clenched her fists. "No, they're not," she snapped. She stood from her chair, nearly knocking it over. "They're people, just like us. And they're stronger than you give them credit for."

"I don't think so," the man said. "The mortals can barely take down one of us. What good can come from them?"

"The woman that woke me and brought me here took down master vampires by herself without so much of a scratch. And there are more like her."

The man hummed. "It's a shame your father already sent vampires to take care of her, isn't it?"

Serana froze. "What are you talking about?"

"After Harkon disposed of her, he sent vampires after her. They followed her to her home, and they should be ambushing her as we speak."

Serana grabbed the front of the man's clothes and pushed him against the table. She didn't care who was watching now. "Where are they?"

The man raised his hands defensively. "Last I heard, Riften."

Serana let him go and walked out of the main dining area. Once out of sight, she dashed to her room. 

"Daughter," came a voice from behind Serana. She froze in the hallway, right outside her room. "Might I have a word with you?"

Serana pressed herself against her door. Harkon did intimidate her, especially after his Vampire Lord display. She just didn't want him to see it. 

"Of course," Serana said, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "What is it?"

Harkon looked around the hallway before speaking. "I apologize for not speaking with you sooner. But this is important. It will affect all vampires across Nirn."

Serana narrowed her eyes. 

"Before your traitorous mother stole you away and kept you hidden all this time, I learned of a prophecy. I do not know much, but I know that it requires Daughters of Coldharbour."

Before her mother locked her underground, Serana had learned a little of what Harkon planned to do. He needed the blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour, and her mother feared he would try to use them to accomplish his goals. 

But she knew better. Harkon would never hurt his own flesh and blood. 

Would he?

"I need to know the rest of the prophecy," Harkon said. He smiled at her, and again, it seemed forced. "Can I trust you to locate the other Elder Scrolls for me? I know how tiring it must be, locked in the castle."

Serana swallowed a lump growing in her throat. "O-Of course. Father."

"That's what I like to hear." Harkon turned away, but he paused. He glanced at her over her shoulder. "You should set out tonight. Good luck, Serana."

Serana nodded and slipped into her room. Harkon probably expected her to leave the first Elder Scroll in the castle, but... She couldn't do that. It was better if she kept it with her. 

Where was she even planning to go? Kjona was probably her best bet, since she would need help, but there was no saying she would actually help Serana. 

Still. Maybe if she explained the situation, Kjona would help her. At the very least, she would be paid again. 

Serana sighed and grabbed the Elder Scroll. As much as she wanted it to be  _ anyone _ else, she didn't know anyone. Kjona was the only mortal she knew that would actually care about something like this.

She would need to be careful either way. Kjona could very well try to kill her if she saw Serana. 

_ So. Riften, _ Serana thought as she opened her window. If she was going to bring the Elder Scroll with her, she would need to make sure no one saw her leave with it.  _ Guess that's my first stop. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	6. The Vampire Hunters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"Guess this is it," Kjona muttered as she slipped through a crack in a large rock. "Doesn't look like much."

Kjona entered a large canyon. It was beautiful, but if this was where the Dawnguard's base was... Well, she supposed it could be worse. 

It would have made more sense to be closer to a city. After all, no one in their right mind would actually be opposed to vampire hunters, and the guards could offer more protection.

Oh, well. She supposed it didn't matter. It wasn't  _ her _ guild, after all. 

"Oh, hello!" shouted someone near a small body of water. Kjona raised her brow at them, though she knew they couldn't see her face. "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

Kjona took a deep breath. "I suppose you'll come with me no matter what I say."

The man chuckled. "My name is Agmaer. I'm... a little nervous about joining. Are you?"

"Kjona. And no, I'm not. They're just vampire hunters."

"Just vampire hunters?" Agmaer asked. "They're our only hope against the vampire threat." Kjona rolled her eyes. "I've heard a little about Isran, the man in charge. He seems like a hardass. You... won't tell him I was nervous, will you? I don't imagine that would look well for me."

_ Why did I get stuck with him? _

"Hey, maybe we'll get to go on quests together! I mean, you look like you can handle yourself on your own. I can't really handle a sword that well, but I can still-"

"If you can barely wield a sword, what makes you think you could do well here?"

She knew it was harsh to say, but... If he couldn't defend himself normally, how could he defend himself against vampires? 

Agmaer was quiet for a moment. "Well, I assume I would be taught, no? You think you could give me some tips?"

Kjona narrowed her eyes. "I haven't even decided if I'm actually joining or not. The Dawnguard would be better to give you tips."

Agmaer chuckled, albeit a little nervously. "You're right, I'm sorry." She could see him grinning out of the corner of her eye. "I'm just excited, you know? I could finally be a part of something. Something  _ big _ ."

_ Honestly, do you ever shut up? _

This was why she preferred traveling and working alone. Everything was quiet, and she could just be with her thoughts instead of having to listen to gods knew what. 

"Oh, that must be it."

Kjona raised her head to look at the fort they were approaching. It was big, she would give them that. If there was an army inside, they would have no problems taking down vampires. 

Agmaer was still talking, but Kjona did her best to drown him out. Instead, she looked around. 

Some people eyed her as she passed. She supposed she did look suspicious. But, if they suspected her of being a vampire, why would one walk directly into a fort filled with vampire hunters?

Oh, well. She'd lately come to realize the people of Skyrim were not the brightest. 

"You here as recruits?" a man behind them asked. Kjona looked over her shoulder at him. "Head on inside. Isran will brief you."

"Wow. I can't believe it," Agmaer, of course, said. "I'm really doing this."

"Sure are, buddy," Kjona muttered. 

Kjona walked up the stone steps and opened the door. She held it for Agmaer, but he was too busy looking around in awe to even notice. 

"... before, Tolan, your men aren't coming-"

Any conversation stopped as soon as Kjona and Agmaer walked inside the fort. The two people standing in the middle of the large room looked at both of them.

The one in robes sighed. "I suppose you are correct. I had hoped, when the doors opened..."

"We already knew the outcome of this." The man in armor narrowed his eyes at them. "Are you two here to join the Dawnguard?"

"He is," Kjona said, nodding her head to where Agmaer was hiding behind her. "I'm just here to see what you're all about."

The man grumbled. "Well, you've come just in time. The Vigilants sent a group to Dimhollow Crypt to investigate vampire activity, but so far, we've heard nothing from them. If you could investigate..."

Kjona bowed her head slightly. "Ah. I, uh... I've been to Dimhollow Crypt," she said. "I'm sorry to say, but the Vigilants were killed. There were no survivors."

The man in armor rubbed his chin. "You've already been down there and survived? Could you tell us what the vampires were looking for? Perhaps their investigation won't be in vain."

Kjona sighed. She really didn't want to do this right now. "They were looking for someone—another vampire. She was locked away underground with an Elder Scroll."

Both men's eyes widened, but it was the robed man that spoke. "And? Did you retrieve the Elder Scroll?"

"No, I didn't. She would have killed me if I had tried to take it from her. But... I did take her back to her home. I didn't really have a choice in the matter. A group of vampires now have the Elder Scroll."

"And you just let them have it?" the man in armor said, his voice rising. "Do you know what could happen-"

"I'm well aware of the consequences," Kjona interrupted. She crossed her arms. "My family and I were attacked in Riften. That's why I came here in the first place. But if you're just going to yell over nothing, I can leave." 

"And what makes you think you're so special that we would even need you to begin with?"

Kjona smiled. "I took down every vampire in that crypt. Do you know how many there were? Your men couldn't even get past the first  _ gate _ ."

Both men were silent, now. The one in armor sighed. "All right. If you truly are that great of a fighter, then we could certainly use you. And if possible, I'd like to send both of you on a trial run."

Agmaer finally spoke up. "W-What kind of trial run?"

The man in armor turned away. "If this Dawnguard is really going to work, we'll need help. Our numbers are not as strong as I'd like them to be. There are two people we'll need. A Nord by the name of Gunmar and a Breton by the name of Sorine Jurard. Recruit them, and we can finally begin taking the fight to the vampires."

"Isran, if this is truly going to succeed, you need both of them as quickly as possible," the man in robes said. "I wish I could stay and help, but... well..."

The man - who Kjona assumed was Isran - nodded. "Look for them separately. You'll get it done faster that way." He looked back at them. "I'm Isran. And if we're going to be working together, I need names."

"Kjona." She uncrossed her arms. "I'll go for Sorine. Where is she?"

"Last I heard, she was somewhere in the Reach. I'm sure you could find her if you asked around."

That was all Kjona needed. She waved a brief goodbye, hurrying out the door before Agmaer could try and stop her.

Maybe now she would get some peace and quiet.

* * *

Kjona grumbled and pushed a branch aside. After asking around Markarth for a Sorine Jurard, she had been told approximately where she was. 

That wasn't proving helpful, however, as Kjona was still lost.

She hadn't been to Markarth in years. It was a lovely city, and quite interesting, but since coming into close contact with Molag Bal, she had decided to simply stay away. He was Oblivion's biggest asshole, and she wanted nothing to do with him.

As Kjona crested a hill, she saw a woman standing by what looked like Dwemer parts.  _ Must be who I'm looking for. _

"Excuse me," Kjona said loudly, hoping to get the woman's attention. "I'm looking for Sorine Jurard."

The woman looked to Kjona. "Well, you've found her. What do you need?"

Kjona breathed a sigh of relief. "My name is Kjona. Isran sent me to find you."

Sorine's brows furrowed. "Isran? Wants me? No... No, you must be mistaken. He made it pretty clear the last we spoke he didn't need my help anymore. He... He said some pretty hurtful things to me before I left." She shook her head and turned away. "I'm happy where I am now. So, if you'll excuse me..."

Kjona crossed her arms. "Look, I-"

"What is it you want from me?" Sorine snapped. "Unless it's a dire situation, I want nothing to do with Isran."

"Vampires threaten all of Skyrim. He said you could help."

Sorine paused. "Really? Oh, and I suppose he now conveniently remembers when I proposed no less than three scenarios that involved vampires overrunning the population? What are they doing that needs my attention right now?"

Kjona bowed her head. "They have an Elder Scroll. No one knows why yet, but even you should agree that's the one thing they shouldn't have."

"That's... actually something I would have never anticipated. Hmm. I'm not sure what they would even do with one, all things considered, but Isran is probably right in thinking it isn't good."

"It's hard to say," Kjona said, "but you can probably tell we need to be concerned about this."

Sorine huffed a laugh and bent to pick up some Dwemer item. "I don't know how long you've known Isran, but the man is always concerned about something. Still. If he's sent you after me, he must think it's really important."

Kjona took a step forward. "Will you help?"

"I'd like to, believe me. But I can't just abandon what I've started here." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Listen, if you can find me a dwarven gyro, I'll help."

Kjona was about to argue, but she stopped herself. She knew better than most what abandoning your projects was like. They never ended well. 

"All right," Kjona sighed. "Do you have any idea where I could find one? I really don't want to go into a dwarven ruin for one."

"Well, it's a good thing you won't have to." She nodded to where a river could be heard nearby. "I know it sounds crazy, but I think mudcrabs might have stolen my bag. I saw them around my camp earlier."

_ Yeah, that definitely doesn't sound crazy at all. _

Kjona took a deep breath. "I'll go look."

She made her way down the small hill that led to the river. She looked up and down the riverbank, tilting her head to the side slightly. 

"Huh," she murmured. She walked to where a small sack was. "I guess mudcrabs really can steal stuff."

As if on queue, something began emerging from the ground. It squeaked at her, raising its little claws. Kjona shook her head and kicked the small mudcrab into the water. 

She chuckled and bent to pick up the sack. As she walked, she opened it. 

"Found your gyros," Kjona said. She tossed one to Sorine. "Mudcrabs did take them."

"I knew it!" Sorine smiled at Kjona. "You can set the bag down. Thank you." She hummed. "Well, I guess we did kind of have a deal. All right. Let me finish this up here, and I'll go see Isran. Can I assume he's still working on that fort near Riften?"

"The very one."

Sorine nodded. "I'll see you there. Safe travels."

_ That was... actually easier than I expected, _ Kjona thought as she walked off.  _ I'm kind of disappointed. It's a several-day walk back to Fort Dawnguard. _

Well, she supposed it could be worse. Distantly, she wondered how Agmaer was holding up in finding Gunmar, but she then realized she didn't really care. 

Oh, well. Her job was done. She didn't really know what else the Dawnguard would need now. 

Of course, if she was actually going to join them and help stop the vampire threat... She would have to go against Serana, too, wouldn't she? After all, she's the one that practically handed the Elder Scroll over. She's the reason her father and his underlings even  _ have _ an Elder Scroll. 

Logically, she knew they were on opposing sides. But still, there was a dull ache in her chest at the thought of harm coming to her. 

Kjona had been the real asshole during that encounter. She assumed Serana had been as nice as she could be given the circumstances. And other than handing the scroll over to her father, there was no real need to hate her.

It was all confusing and thinking about it too much made Kjona's head hurt. She supposed it didn't matter, anyway. 

It wasn't like they would ever see each other again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	7. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

The sun was just setting over the horizon when Kjona finally made it back to Fort Dawnguard. It had taken her longer than she had expected to get back. With the autumn season came storms like no other.

Still, it surprised her when she saw Sorine already waiting inside. 

"Ah, there you are!" she said. She bumped her shoulder against Kjona's. "Isran said we're still waiting on someone?"

Kjona blinked. "How the hell did you get back here before me?"

Sorine snickered. "I have my ways. Thanks to you, though, I was able to finish my project. I know it probably didn't seem like much at the time, but you really helped me. Thank you."

Kjona shrugged. "Don't sweat it. Just doing my civil duty."

Before either of them could say anything more, the doors to the fort opened. In strolled a large Nord man with an axe at his side. 

"Gunmar, I assume?" Kjona asked. "Where's Agmaer?"

"Ah, the little lad?" the man asked. "He's resting at an inn right now. Poor kid took quite a beating from those bears."

As Gunmar joined them in the middle of the room, large iron gates suddenly rose from the ground, blocking their exits. A voice from above them spoke. 

"So, you've returned."

"Isran?" Sorine asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

A bright light shone on them from the ceiling. "You can never be too careful in our line of work." He crossed his arms. "Take off that hood."

Kjona rolled her eyes and dramatically flipped her hood down. "Have you ever seen a vampire in the flesh, Isran? Do you see that any of us have glowing eyes?"

The light faded, and Kjona flipped her hood back up. Isran was silent for just a moment. 

The gates lowered, and Isran leaned against the railing on the second floor. "Sorry for that. After recent incidents, I need to be more careful about who I let in here." He sighed. "I'm sure you've already been told, but you're here for a reason. We're up against vampires. Powerful ones. I don't really have a plan of action yet, so just take some time to get acquainted with the place. In the meantime," he said with a straight look to Kjona, "you're going to come with me to figure out why a vampire showed up here looking for you."

Kjona's heart froze in her chest.  _ Oh, no. Another of Serana's father's court? Did they hurt Lucia? Did they just come here to gloat? _

Without so much as a nod goodbye to Sorine, Kjona dashed to the staircase, her eyes wide. 

Isran met her at the top of the staircase, his eyes narrowed. "You have some explaining to do."

"Who is it?" Kjona asked, her heart thundering in her chest. "What did they want?"

"As far as I can tell, it only wanted to speak with you. It wouldn't tell me anything else."

One of Kjona's hands drifted to the sword at her hip, more out of instinct than anything else. 

They arrived at the room, and inside-

Kjona froze in the doorway. 

_ Serana _ , of all people, stood in the room, her arms loosely crossed over her chest. When she noticed she had company, she grinned at Kjona. "I bet you weren't expecting to see me again."

_ Oh, fuck. _

Kjona let go of her sword and stepped into the room. Isran followed behind her. "What the hell are you doing here? Did you not realize you're inside a fort filled with  _ vampire hunters _ ?"

"Yeah, well, I don't have a choice right now. You're the only person I know outside of my father's court, and... I... I need your help."

_ Again? Seriously? _

"With what?"

Serana opened her mouth to speak, but she paused. Kjona caught her glance at Isran.

"I can handle it from here," Kjona said. She jerked her chin at Isran. "Go."

Isran stood straighter, but even then, Kjona was still much taller. It was hard to be intimidated when you were at least half a head taller than everyone. 

"This bloodsucker just wants you alone so it can kill you. I won't let that-"

"She's the one from Dimhollow Crypt," Kjona interrupted, "and I can assure you, if she wanted me dead, she would have done it already." 

Isran puffed out his chest, but he seemed to realize he was on the losing side. Without another word, he stormed out. 

"Thank you," Serana said quietly. "I know it sounds weird to say, but... It's good to see you again."

Kjona turned to face her. "What did you want?"

Serana tried to hide the hurt on her face, but Kjona could see right through it. There was a small pang in her chest. 

"Before I left, my father told me about a prophecy. He doesn't know much, thankfully, but he does know one thing: to go through with this, he needs the blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour. As far as I know, there are only two in existence. He needs mine or my mother's blood."

Kjona's brows furrowed. "Daughter of Coldharbour?"

"A pureblooded vampire, given the gift of vampirism from Molag Bal himself." Serana wrung her hands in front of her, not looking at Kjona. "We had to go through a ceremony. It was... degrading. I'd rather not get into it."

Kjona nodded. "I apologize for asking. I... can't imagine it's easy to remember."

Serana hummed. "The funny thing is that I don't actually remember it. Or, I do, but I mostly just remember what I was feeling. I think I blocked everything else out."

She knew exactly where Serana was coming from. "Your parents didn't stop this from happening?"

Serana snorted, but it was devoid of humor. "You met my father. He's changed a lot from when I last saw him. He's become power-hungry, obsessed. All he talked about when I was at the castle was fulfilling this prophecy. He mentioned you a few times too. He couldn't believe a  _ mortal _ would stand up to him like that."

Kjona chuckled. "When that beast came out, I was terrified. But I know how a lot of vampires operate. If there was even a hint I was scared, he would have torn me apart."

"You did well." Serana smiled. "I'm glad we're able to have a decent conversation, you know. You were pretty annoying in that crypt."

"I don't fully trust you yet, but I can tell you do want to help."

Serana nodded. "I told you before, I'm not like my father and his court. Starting a war like this would be pointless." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'll need to find a Moth Priest to read this scroll for me so I know what exactly Harkon plans to do. I'll need to find the other two, as well."

"Harkon?" Kjona asked, her voice quiet. "Lord Harkon?"

Serana raised her head, her eyes narrowing. "That's my father, yes."

"Huh. Small world." She tilted her head to the side. "Your father sent vampires after me. They tried attacking my daughter."

"Yeah, I heard. I'm sorry I couldn't warn you beforehand. I didn't hear about it until after he had already sent them." She smirked. "I assume your daughter is all right?"

Kjona snorted. "Of course she is. Look who her mother is."

"All right, all right. Don't get too cocky on me." She glanced over her shoulder at the scroll resting on her back. "Will you help me?"

"Sure, but there's one problem. You aren't going to find any Moth Priests in Skyrim. Most of them study in Cyrodiil, in the heart of the Empire. It would be extremely difficult to get in. I would know."

Serana looked taken aback. "Wait. Cyrodiil? Empire? What Empire are you talking about?"

" _ The _ Empire?"

Serana shook her head. "Who's the High King? Tell me you still have that."

Kjona thought for a moment. She hadn't really been keeping up on politics. "As far as I know, that's still a matter of debate. The Stormcloaks want Ulfric Stormcloak as the High King. The Imperials want Elisif the Fair."

Serana was silent for a moment. "I hope you realize I don't understand half of what you're telling me."

Kjona laughed. "I don't understand most of it either." She nodded. "Come on. I'm tired, but I don't want to stay here. And I'm sure you don't want to stay when everyone sees you as an enemy."

They both moved toward the doorway, only to be stopped by Isran. 

Kjona sighed and crossed her arms. "Should've known you would eavesdrop."

"You're really just going to help it? Just like that?"

Isran moved forward, reaching for the weapon on his back. Kjona moved with him, blocking him from getting past her. 

"Look, Isran," Kjona said, lowering her arms. She placed both her hands on the handles of her swords. "I don't like vampires either. In fact, if I had a choice, I would just lock her back up." She shrugged and glanced back at Serana, ignoring the glare sent her way. "But that's not the way things are. She's clearly not working with her father and wants to  _ stop _ this prophecy from happening. You can get out of our way on your own or I can make you. Either way, you're not touching her."

Isran clearly wanted to argue, and Kjona would have been fine continuing if it wasn't for the fact that she felt like she was about to fall over.

"You would betray your own kind for a vampire?"

Kjona rolled her eyes. "Get out of my way."

Kjona moved to brush past him, but he grabbed her forearm. In one swift motion, a dagger was at his throat. 

"I'm going to give you one last warning, Isran, so don't take it lightly." 

"You know," Serana said, "I've seen her fight. Might wanna take her up on that."

Isran scoffed and stepped back. "I can't believe this."

"Hm?" Kjona asked. "I can. I'm a criminal. What else do you expect?"

Kjona stayed between Isran and Serana, narrowing her eyes at the former. As they walked, she made sure to block any path Isran had to get to Serana. 

It wasn't even that she really  _ wanted _ to. She meant what she said about locking Serana back up. She just thought it was funny to piss off Isran. 

"Come on," Kjona muttered. "We better get out of here before they get their stakes ready."

Serana snorted. "You know that's not the only way to kill vampires, right?"

"Oh, I know." Kjona opened the large doors to the fort. "Have to go for the head or the heart."

Serana hummed. "I've been meaning to ask. Why do you hate vampires so much?"

"Your kind has ruined my life on several occasions," Kjona answered. Her brows furrowed. "I'm sorry, but... We're just working together to stop this prophecy from happening. That's all."

Kjona took a deep breath. After everything that's happened in the last few years, how could she trust a vampire? 

She closed her eyes and reached up to where  _ her _ pendant usually rested.  _ I hope you'll forgive what I've become. _

Serana remained silent, and Kjona couldn't blame her. It was a pretty rude thing to say. 

* * *

Serana rested her chin on her knees. Her brows furrowed as she watched Kjona sleep in what looked like an uncomfortable position. 

They had stopped a little outside Fort Dawnguard so that Kjona could rest a little. Even though she had clearly tried to play it off, she even sounded exhausted. 

Since the incident in Dimhollow Crypt and the attack in Riften, she wondered how often Kjona actually slept. 

Kjona was leaning against a tree near a campfire she had made. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her head bowed. Her hood and mask were still up, blocking Serana from seeing her features.

Really, how paranoid was she? They were out in the middle of nowhere. No one would see what she looked like out here. 

Serana sighed and looked into the fire. Kjona possessed some lesser form of magic, which didn't help her figure out what race she was. 

Not that it mattered. She was just curious. 

Kjona was taller than nearly everyone by at least half a head. That put her as being an elf of some kind. But her name was Nordic. And the fact that she couldn't use advanced magic gave away the fact that she wasn't a High Elf. 

Before Serana could think more about it, Kjona stirred in her sleep. Her arms tightened as her head twitched. 

Serana sat straight. "Kjona?"

When she continued to twitch, Serana stood and quietly made her way over to Kjona. She gently shook her shoulder. 

Kjona's head snapped up. Her whole body seemed to jolt. 

"W-What... Where..."

Kjona put a hand to her chest. She took a deep breath and raised her head. 

And then she yelped and moved away on her hands. 

Serana stood straight and rolled her eyes. "Did you forget I was here?"

Kjona shook her head. She shakily stood and looked around. "I... I think we need to leave."

"What? Why?"

Kjona shook her head again. She walked over to the fire and lowered her mask briefly. A short gust of wind seemingly came from nowhere, extinguishing the fire. 

"Kjona? What's happening?"

"There's a dragon nearby," Kjona said. She glanced around. "I'd rather not fight one in the dead of night."

All right. Every second she spent with this woman, the more confusing the modern world seemed. 

Serana rubbed at her face. "Dragons are supposed to be dead."

There was a booming roar in the distance. Kjona glanced at Serana, a humorless laugh coming from her. "Yeah,  _ supposed _ to be."

Serana felt it before she could see it. She heard what sounded like the flapping of wings coming closer. 

Serana followed where Kjona began walking away from their makeshift camp. "What the hell is it doing here?"

"Ah, you probably haven't heard." Kjona glanced back. "About a year ago, dragons began resurfacing. No one really knew why, but I suspect it has to do with a prophecy, as well. The Prophecy of the Dragonborn."

"And why isn't anyone trying to stop them?"

Kjona shrugged. "Only the Dragonborn can permanently kill a dragon by absorbing its soul, though I'm sure you already knew that. The bad thing is that there hasn't been one of those since Tiber Septim. It's... been a long time."

Serana's brows furrowed. "Well, has a Dragonborn emerged?"

Kjona seemed to hesitate before she answered. "Um... Yes and no. They haven't officially come out as the Dragonborn."

If Serana was suspicious before... "You know them, don't you?"

"I guess you could say that."

" _ Dovahkiin! _ " a deep voice shouted. Something large landed behind them. " _ You cannot hide from us for long! _ "

They were much closer to the dragon than Serana wanted to be. Thankfully, though, it didn't seem to notice them. 

The dragon took flight once more, but it soared past them. Its wings boomed as it flew toward the mountains. 

Serana looked back to Kjona, who was touching her side. She shook her head and dropped her hand. 

"Come on," Kjona said, her voice quiet. "Riften isn't far. We can start by asking around there for a Moth Priest. I doubt anyone's seen one, but it's worth a shot."

"Your...  _ family _ is in Riften, right?"

"Family?" Kjona asked. She shook her head. "It's just my daughter and I."

Serana smiled. "No husband? Since you have a daughter, I assume-"

"Look, I understand you're nosy, but your tricks won't work on me. Now stop talking."

Serana snickered, but she did stay quiet. 

She could get used to this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	8. The Search Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

It took just a few hours to arrive in Riften, but the sun had already risen by the time they entered the gates. Serana would have grumbled, but she knew she would get nowhere. 

Kjona was walking in front of her, glancing around as they walked through Riften. She seemed almost... nervous? Which was strange, considering she  _ lived _ here. 

Riften was more run down now than she remembered it being. It was still beautiful, especially with autumn settling in. It was just so  _ different. _

"Do you know where we're going?" Serana asked, mostly to tease Kjona. 

Kjona sighed. "I'm looking for someone, but I'm trying to stay hidden from my daughter. I don't see her anywhere, but she has a sixth sense for these things."

Serana blinked. "Why would you want to hide from your daughter?"

Kjona glanced back at her. "I don't want her to meet you."

Serana tried to ignore how much that actually hurt her. 

"Ah, there he is," Kjona said. She walked over to what looked like a market. "Brynjolf."

A man in a dark blue jacket turned toward them. A second later, he grinned. "Kjona!" he said. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Kjona crossed her arms. "I'm looking for a Moth Priest. Have you heard anything?"

"A Moth Priest, eh?" the man - Brynjolf, Serana assumed - tapped his chin. "I don't remember hearing anything, but I can ask around if you need me to."

Kjona nodded. "I'd appreciate it. Thank you."

Brynjolf looked to Serana. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Kjona sighed and glanced back. "This is Lady Serana. I'm helping her with something."

"That's awfully vague," Brynjolf said. He bowed slightly. "A pleasure to meet you, my lady. Kjona told me a lot about you."

Serena raised a brow, but she didn't get to say anything. Kjona stuttered out, "That's- No, I-"

Brynjolf nodded at Serana and winked. He mouthed  _ Yes she did. _

Kjona smacked Brynjolf's shoulder. "Shut up."

Brynjolf laughed, his head tilting back. "I do apologize if she's been a bit grumpy. I promise I raised her with manners."

That made Serana's brows furrow. This man... was Kjona's father? He didn't look old enough to have a child Kjona's age. 

Or, what Serana assumed was Kjona's age. She didn't actually know. 

They seemed more like siblings than anything else. 

"Why are you still wearing that hood here, anyway?" Brynjolf asked. In a quick motion, he reached up and yanked the hood off Kjona's head. "Much better."

Serana's eyes widened. Kjona's hair was gold, her skin a paler shade of the same color. Her head was shaved on the sides and in the back, her remaining hair tied back. Her ears...

_ Kjona is Altmer. _

With a sigh, Kjona turned her head to face Serana. "I suppose it was time for you to see what I looked like."

The mask was still around her face, but her features were enough for Serana to know. The yellow, almond-shaped eyes, the pointed ears... There was no denying her race. 

Serana took a deep breath. "Well, you certainly had me fooled. I had already ruled out the possibility of you being a High Elf."

Brynjolf laughed and Kjona rolled her eyes. "She doesn't act like one, does she?"

"I'm not fully Altmer," Kjona said, seemingly ignoring Brynjolf. "My mother was a Nord. She's the one that... Well... I wouldn't say she raised me, but she did keep me around until she was killed."

Serana's eyes widened. "That must have been traumatic."

Kjona's brows furrowed. "Why would it be? She deserved it. I'm only angry I couldn't be the one to do it."

What the hell did her mother do to her to make her feel that way? Even all these years later?

Kjona sighed. "It doesn't matter. Bryn, will you-"

"Mama?"

Serana turned toward the voice. All she heard was Kjona mutter, "Ah, shit."

A little blur was all Serana saw before a small body crashed into Kjona. "You're back."

Kjona crouched, taking off her mask as she did so. "Only for a little while. I need to leave again soon."

_ That must be her daughter, _ Serana thought. She took a step back, shrinking in on herself.  _ Kjona didn't want us to meet. _

"Who's that?" Kjona's daughter asked, paying no mind to the rules her mother had already set. 

Kjona glanced at Serana, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That's Lady Serana. I'm helping her with something important."

Brynjolf crossed his arms, his face more serious than it had been since Serana had seen him. "Lady Serana, you don't mind watching Lucia for a moment, do you? I need to speak with Kjona. Alone."

Kjona's head snapped to Brynjolf. She opened her mouth to say something, but he was already grabbing her by the ear and pulling her along. 

Serana snorted at the sight. 

"You know my mama?" a small voice asked. 

Serana turned her head to the child standing not far from her. "I... Well, not for long. We just started working together."

She really didn't know what to say. What  _ could _ she say? Kjona didn't want them speaking with each other, and Serana really didn't want to get further on her bad side. 

The kid stuck out her hand. "I'm Lucia."

"Serana." She gently shook Lucia's hand. "Your mama didn't want us meeting."

Lucia grinned. "She won't get mad. She likes to act tough, but she's not."

Serana's brows raised. "Really? What makes you say that?"

Serana crouched to Lucia's height, resting her forearms on her thighs.

"Mama acted the same way when Mother was still around. She just teases a lot."

Serana wanted to believe that, but she had been alive long enough to tell the difference between teasing and just being an ass. So far, Kjona had been the latter. 

Still, hearing that made her curious. "You had another parent?"

Lucia nodded. She glanced around and lowered her voice when she spoke. "She disappeared a few years ago, not long after Mama adopted me. I... I heard Mama say it was bandits or vampires. I think she's gone a lot because she's still looking for Mother." Tears appeared in Lucia's eyes. "I wish she would just come back."

"I'm sorry, little one," Serana said, her voice soft. She put an arm around Lucia's shoulders, not really sure how else to comfort her. "Your Mama seems good at finding people, so don't worry, okay? I'm sure she'll find her, and you'll be reunited."

If it was vampires that took Kjona's wife... That would certainly explain her hatred for them. And if it had been vampires, Serana couldn't blame her for the way she had been acting. 

Lucia shrugged. She rubbed at her face. "She's probably not coming back. Mama doesn't like it when I ask, so if she hasn't been-"

"Even if she doesn't come back..." Serana sighed. How does one talk to a child about death? "She'll always be with you.  _ Both _ of you."

Lucia smiled. "I know. It would be better if Mama stayed more often, but..."

Serana grinned and squeezed Lucia's shoulders. "I'll make sure she comes back soon. How does that sound?"

Before either of them could say anything more, Kjona said, "So, you've met my daughter."

Serana jolted and stood. She stepped away from Lucia. "I, uh-"

Kjona didn't look  _ angry, _ but she didn't look happy, either. She rolled her eyes and began walking. "Come on. Lucia, listen to Bryn and Mjoll. I'll be back soon." She smiled. "Love you."

Serana felt uneasy as they walked out of Riften. Kjona kept her hood down, her mask dangling in her hand.

"So," Kjona said, not looking back at Serana. 

Serana took a deep breath. "Look, if you have something to say-"

"I don't." Kjona's expression when she did glance back at Serana was softer than she had ever seen. "At least, nothing bad. Thank you for watching her. With everything that's happened, it made me nervous to have a vampire near her."

She must have been referring to the incident not long ago.

"I wasn't going to hurt her," Serana muttered. "You had nothing to be afraid of."

Kjona nodded. "Yes, I did. I've lost two of my family to vampires. You don't seem like the rest, but that doesn't mean I can't be nervous for my daughter."

Serana bowed her head. "She told me about your wife."

Kjona was quiet for a moment, her brows furrowed. "Wife?" she asked. "I never had a- oh." She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "She must have been talking about Laura. We were never married, but... yes. Vampires took her, too."

"And you really think she's still alive?"

Kjona shook her head. "No. I never found a body, but that doesn't mean anything. And even if she was still alive, I've moved on. I miss her, but I won't waste more time trying to look for a ghost." 

"Thank you for telling me," Serana said. "I can't imagine it's easy."

"It's easier now than it ever has been." Kjona shrugged. "I don't...  _ hate _ you, you know. That isn't to say I like you, but you're all right, Serana."

She couldn't help the smile on her face. "You're an annoying criminal, but I guess you're all right, too."

Kjona snorted. She looked annoyed, but there was something about the smile on her face that told Serana she really wasn't.

"Brynjolf told me he didn't know anything about a Moth Priest," Kjona said, her smile fading. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Carriage drivers?" Serana asked. "Innkeepers? Guards? Those are really the only people I can think of that would know if a Moth Priest passed through."

"Good point. I would have asked the innkeeper in Riften, but she, ah... She's not a fan of me."

Serana huffed a laugh. "You just make friends everywhere you go, don't you?"

Kjona grinned. "What can I say? It's all part of my charm."

"Charm, sure." Serana tilted her head to the side slightly. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

Kjona's face was a mix of offense and a grin. She put a hand to her chest. "You wound me."

Serana wanted to question why Kjona had these apparent mood swings around her. Sometimes, she was fun to be around, like now. Other times, she was a pain in the ass. 

She supposed that was what happened when you were  _ trying _ to get along with someone who's people took away something you love. 

* * *

"You're sure you haven't heard anything?" Kjona asked. "It's important."

The innkeeper shook their head. "Sorry, but no. The only time I ever hear of Moth Priests is in Cyrodiil."

Kjona sighed and set a few septims on the counter. "Thanks."

Serana looked up at her as she approached their table. "Hear anything useful?"

Kjona shook her head and sat next to her. "Nothing. I'm not sure if no one wants to tell me, or if there really hasn't been a Moth Priest in Skyrim." She pulled her mask off but kept her hood over her head. "If worst comes to worst, we can go to Cyrodiil. It'll just be hard, and it'll waste time."

Kjona had been to the Imperial City when she was younger, but it hadn't been a good time. Even for an adolescent, she had been tall, and everyone just assumed she was part of the Thalmor. 

If they even knew she existed, she would be dead already. But most races wouldn't be able to tell a half-breed from a full-bred Altmer. Especially not since Kjona looked more like her father.

"We'll find someone," Serana said. "I doubt my father even realized I have the Elder Scroll."

Kjona raised a brow. "Did you leave without him knowing?" 

"No, he knew. He wanted me to find the other scrolls for him, but I have no intention of starting a war with humanity like he does."

Kjona was silent for a moment. "Do you really think he'd go through with this prophecy? Even if it meant hurting you?"

Serana shrugged. She looked away. "My father is... not a good man. I used to think he would never do anything to hurt me, but... Now I'm not so sure. If it means 'bettering' vampire-kind, who's to say he wouldn't?"

"Your parents... They really didn't see that what they were doing was wrong?"

Serana had a distant look in her eyes when she glanced at Kjona. "Did yours?"

Kjona put her chin in the palm of her hand. She recognized a need for a subject change when she heard one. She must not have wanted to talk about it. "I never knew my father. My mother... She knew what was happening. She just didn't care. She never hurt me herself, but she didn't care that the kids in Riverwood were the ones giving me bruises all the time."

Serana snorted, but it was devoid of humor. "I suppose that answers your question, then, doesn't it? They knew. They just didn't care. They were both too blinded by their own hatred for each other that they didn't care who was hurt. They didn't care that they were tearing our family apart."

"Ah, who needs family, anyway?" Kjona asked. She tapped her fingers on the table. "What matters is the family you find around you."

Serana hummed. "Friends do tend to be better than your blood family, sad as that is to say."

"Especially in our cases." Kjona sighed. "We should get going if we do want to find a Moth Priest."

Kjona stood, but Serana hesitated. "You're not tired?"

"Not really. Besides, I've never really enjoyed staying at inns."

Serana nodded and stood as well. They walked out of the inn together. Serana pulled her hood back up and Kjona slipped her mask into place. 

She really didn't know where else to go. Were they really just going to go from town to town, asking random people within about Moth Priests?

Hell. She hoped not. 

As they left the little town they were in, a guard stopped them. Kjona stood straighter, a hand unconsciously going to her sword. 

"Heard you two were looking for a Moth Priest," the guard said. 

Serana crossed her arms. "So what if we were?"

The guard lowered their voice when they spoke next. "There was an important-looking carriage that passed through here a few days ago. Imperial guards were surrounding it. If there was a Moth Priest in Skyrim, that would be your best bet."

"Do you know where it was headed?" Kjona asked. "We need to find it."

"Toward Dragon Bridge, if I remember correctly. Good luck out there."

Kjona began walking forward. Dragon Bridge wasn't far from where they were. It was maybe a two-day walk. 

"You really think that was a Moth Priest?"

Kjona shrugged. "It's worth a shot to look, isn't it? It's the best thing we have right now."

"Let's just hope nothing happened on the way there."

Kjona had faith they would find what they were looking for. The gods were cruel, but surely they weren't  _ that _ cruel. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	9. Trouble in Paradise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi im back
> 
> that was a long ass break that i totally didn't see coming (sarcasm) but i really am back now. mental health is getting better and i finally have the motivation to write and finish this now!
> 
> enjoy!

Serana raised her head from where she had been fiddling with magic in her hands. Kjona stirred in her sleep, curling in on herself. 

As much as she tried to deny it, Serana could tell she was exhausted. She knew they were trying to get to Dragon Bridge as soon as possible, but Kjona was mortal and needed sleep. They could wait a few hours before continuing.

The campfire between them was dying, and the air around her was cooling. She could barely feel it, but she suspected that's why Kjona was now shivering slightly. 

Serana smiled and bowed her head. She began playing with her magic again.

She was glad that she and Kjona were able to act decent, at least for now. She wouldn't be surprised if, later that day, Kjona said something rude. 

A twig snapped somewhere nearby. Serana's head snapped up. While her eyesight at night wasn't great, she could still see better than most mortals. Her magic dissipated as she looked around, her brows furrowing in concentration.

All was quiet. The trees moving in the wind was the only sound Serana could hear. 

_ Maybe it was just an animal, _ she thought. She didn't lower her head.  _ Still, maybe I should wake Kjona. _

Another twig snapped, this time behind Serana. She froze, anxiety settling in her chest. 

She stood slowly and stretched. She had enough common sense to not alert whoever was nearby that she knew someone was around. 

She walked over to Kjona and crouched. She gently shook her shoulder. "Kjona? It's time to get up."

Kjona grumbled and smacked her hand. "Not now."

Serana bent lower to mutter in Kjona's ear, "There's someone out here with us. Could be more than one."

That got her attention. Kjona's eyes opened slowly. She sighed and rubbed at her face before sitting up. "You're sure?" she whispered, her mouth barely moving. "It wasn't an animal?"

"It's too quiet for it to be an animal."

Kjona rolled her neck. She was a good actor, if nothing else. "You're right," she said, louder than she had been. "It's about time we got going."

Serana helped Kjona stand, though she wasn't sure if it was all an act or if she actually needed help. 

"You ready?" Kjona asked, her voice quiet. "I have a feeling I know who's out here."

Serana didn't get a chance to ask about that. Two figures walked out into the small clearing Serana and Kjona were in. 

One of the figures hummed. "I thought that was a vampire with you.

_ An Argonian? _ Serana thought.  _ Just who are these people? _

Their clothing was dark, likely to help them blend in. Still, Serana didn't recognize it. 

"Is that going to be a problem?" Kjona asked. She moved to stand in front of Serana. "You think you can't handle her?"

"We're not after her," the other figure said. "It's you they want."

Kjona stiffened. She shook her head slightly. "Laura?"

_ Laura?  _ That _ Laura? It can't be. _

It was too much of a coincidence if it was. 

"Get the vampire out of the way. I'll get the elf."

Kjona left Serana to walk up to the smaller figure. She hadn't unsheathed her swords. 

Serana backed away from the Argonian approaching her.  _ Kjona, I knew you were a dumbass, but I didn't realize you were  _ this _ dumb. _

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the Argonian said. "Your choice."

Serana readied her magic. "I'm not going down without a fight."

The Argonian shrugged. "Your funeral."

He unsheathed a short sword and lunged at her. Serana dodged to the side, the end of his blade barely missing her bicep. 

Serana shot an icicle at the Argonian. It sliced the top of his shoulder, cutting his clothing. He hissed and brought a hand up to the cut. 

"Laura, please, you know me," Kjona said. 

Serana chanced a glance at Kjona. She was dodging swipes from a dagger in the assassin's hand. Why wasn't she fighting back?

The Argonian attacked again. He kept swinging his blade at her, and she didn't like how close it was to her face. She shot a smaller icicle at him that went straight through his thigh.

The Argonian grunted. "You think you can win just by shooting  _ ice _ at me?"

Serana shook her head. "No. I can win because I'm a better fighter."

She unsheathed her own dagger as she lunged at the Argonian. He barely blocked it with his sword. 

Serana blasted fire in his face, though she wasn't actually trying to hurt him. She was trying to get him to back off, and thankfully, it worked. 

"You probably have a bounty on your head, don't you?" the Argonian asked. He swung his blade again. "I suppose it won't matter if I kill you, too."

Serana danced back, away from him. "You won't be getting either of us."

He jabbed his sword at her, cutting her abdomen. "What makes you so sure?"

Serana placed a hand at her side. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, there was a loud  _ crack. _

She glanced at Kjona just in time to see her head snap to the side. Was that blood coming from her nose?

"Seems like at least one of you won't make it out of here alive."

Serana grit her teeth.  _ All right. That's enough. _

Serana ducked under the Argonian's blade. She readied her magic in one hand, putting it to his chest. He paused, but he only got a second to ponder what was happening before he was being blasted back.

The Argonian hit the ground with a grunt. He tried to stand, but Serana pushed him down with a foot to his chest. 

"I won't kill you," Serana said, "but I'm taking you out of this fight."

Serana willed her magic as she reached down to the Argonian's head. He struggled for just a moment before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body went limp. 

Serana stood straight to see Kjona dodging punches and dagger attacks from the assassin on her. She took a deep breath and readied her magic again. 

Kjona noticed her moving closer. Her eyes widened and she darted to stand in front of her attacker. 

Serana clenched her fists as she paused. "Kjona, get out of the way."

Kjona shook her head. The assassin behind her seemed to be confused with this new situation. "You don't know her like I do."

Fire flared in Serana's hands. "Clearly, you don't know her at all. She's trying to  _ kill _ you."

She shook her head again and opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance to say anything. The assassin behind her had apparently decided to take this opportunity to get the drop on a distracted Kjona. 

The assassin gripped Kjona's shoulder before shoving a blade through her abdomen. Kjona grunted and looked down at the blade sticking out of her. 

The assassin shoved Kjona to her knees, flicking the blood off her blade after. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be."

Serana moved to attack, but Kjona was faster. There was a snarl on her lips as she spun and stood, hitting the pommel of a dagger against the assassin's temple. The assassin grunted and crumpled to the ground on her hands and knees. 

"You're not..." The assassin fell on her side. Her eyes were drooping. "Getting away with... this..."

Kjona let out a deep breath as the assassin seemed to slip into unconsciousness. Serana shook her head as her magic dissipated. 

Kjona turned to face her, a hand on the bleeding wound on her abdomen. She grimaced. 

"Not exactly your brightest moment," Serana said as she crossed her arms. "You're still bleeding. Let me-"

Serana moved forward, but Kjona stepped back, stumbling and nearly falling as she did so. She looked down at her blood-slicked hand, closing her eyes. 

Light came from her palm, reaching out to the hole in her. Kjona winced as the magic stitched her skin back together. 

"That's handy."

Kjona nodded as the light faded. "I needed it for when I travel alone."

Serana's head tilted to the side. "You should wrap that up. I can still see the hole from here."

Kjona's brows furrowed as she glanced at the assassin's on the ground. "We need to get out of here first."

Serana sighed and nodded. She walked behind Kjona as she limped ahead, an arm curled around her stomach. They were silent as they walked, which concerned her. Kjona should have been making some smartass comment by now. 

Serana supposed it made sense. If that was really Laura back there...

She shook her head. There was no way Kjona would have ever been with an assassin. It could have just been someone wearing her face. 

That kind of magic was unheard of, but it was possible. And it would make sense for someone like an assassin or thief to use someone else's face to get away with crimes. 

Whoever was lying unconscious behind them wasn't Kjona's ex-partner. Whether Kjona would come to terms with that or not was still up for debate.

When they had walked a little ways away from the bodies of the assassins, Kjona leaned heavily against a tree. She let out a long breath, leaning her head against the bark. "Here is fine, don't you think?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Kjona put her back to the tree and slid down it, making a quiet  _ thump _ when she hit the ground. She began digging through the satchel at her waist. 

Serana took a deep breath. She crouched in front of Kjona and reached for the satchel. "Let me."

Kjona didn't try to stop her. "I can do it myself," she mumbled. 

"I know you can, but... Just let me do this for you. All right?"

Kjona nodded slowly, staring at Serana for a moment longer than she really should have. 

She wasn't in any danger of bleeding out. At least, not anymore. That magic tricked had saved her, for the most part. 

That wasn't to say she wouldn't still be woozy from the loss of blood and pain she was likely in. 

Serana grabbed a roll of bandages in Kjona's satchel. She sat back on her heels. "I'm going to need you to take off your chest armor. I can do it for you-"

Kjona shook her head and moved to begin taking off her armor. Her movements were sluggish, but Serana assumed she was going as fast as she was able. 

Once the bulk of it was off, Kjona reached down to the hem of her undershirt. She paused. 

Serana couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I'm not going to try anything, and it won't be anything I haven't already seen before." She lightly flicked Kjona's knee. "Like you said, if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't even be here right now. I don't want to hurt you."

That seemed to be enough for Kjona. She lifted her shirt, turning her head away. 

She was more muscular than Serana had given her credit for. Of course, it was a little harder to see just how strong Kjona was in the dark, but she got a general idea. 

She tried to ignore the blush rising to her cheeks. 

Serana made a noise of curiosity after she saw a deep scar on Kjona's side. There was a small chunk missing out of her skin, just above her hip. "That... looks like it should have killed you."

"Hm?" Kjona lifted her head to glance at the scar on her abdomen. "Oh." She looked away again. "It almost did. But my time on this world wasn't done yet, so unfortunately, the gods let me live another day."

Serana's brows furrowed. "What happened?" she asked quietly, moving to wrap the bandage around Kjona's stomach.

Kjona was quiet for a moment. Then, she said, "About a year ago, I was running from some guards in Riften. I slipped on a loose tile on a roof and fell. I didn't realize there was an iron gate below me until it was shredding through my side."

Serana grimaced. She had seen the fences in Riften. Just thinking about something like that going  _ through _ someone made her cringe. 

Kjona shrugged. "The guards somehow lost me, though I'll never know how. How do you lose someone bleeding to death?" She was quiet again. "By some miracle," she said, her voice becoming quieter, "a friend of mine found me before I had completely bled out. She thought I was a drunk at first, until she saw the pool of blood around me."

"That must have been terrifying." Serana tied the bandage. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Kjona shrugged again. She did remain quiet this time, gazing out into the night. She didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. 

"So..." Serana started. She lowered herself onto the grass. "Any idea why assassins would come after you?"

Kjona lowered her shirt, keeping her head bowed. "I'm a criminal. I almost expect to wake up dead nearly every morning."

"You seem smarter than to let people see who you are."

"You'd... be surprised what people are willing to share for some gold."

Serana hummed. "I don't doubt it." She fidgeted with her fingers. "Do you truly think that was Laura back there?"

Kjona shook her head, and when she looked at Serana, there were tears in her eyes. "No. I wanted to believe that it could be, but... She's gone. I have to keep telling myself that."

"Could it have been someone wearing her face to get to you?"

"It's a possibility. I have a lot of enemies." Kjona sighed. "I'm sorry, Lady Serana. It was foolish of me to think that was her. It won't happen again."

"I can't blame you for wanting to see your partner again." She didn't know why she was talking to Kjona like this. She had endangered herself, after all. 

Still. Seeing her so upset over a ghost from her past hurt. Serana really didn't want to think about  _ why _ it hurt.

"You can just call me Serana, by the way," she said. She gently patted Kjona's knee before standing. "No need to be so formal. I never really cared about titles, anyway."

"Serana," Kjona murmured. "All right."

Serana smiled. "Do you think you can keep walking? You need to rest, but I don't think we should stop so close to the assassins. They could wake up at any moment."

Kjona nodded and tried to stand. She hissed through her teeth. 

Serana bent to grab Kjona's arm and lift her up. Even hunched over, she was still taller than Serana. 

Her arm went around Serana's shoulders, and she leaned heavily against her. Serana, in turn, wrapped her free arm around Kjona's waist. 

"Come on, hobbler," Serana joked. "We've got a long way to go."

Kjona snorted softly, something that brought a bigger smile to Serana's lips. "Thank you. For helping me, I mean. You didn't have to."

"You're a pain in the ass sometimes, but I don't actually wish harm upon you. If you died, where would I get my entertainment while I search for the Moth Priest?"

Kjona's laugh was louder this time, though not by much. "Ah, I knew that was the only reason you were keeping me around."

"Oh, yes. You're acting as my personal jester."

Kjona grinned. "Pleased to be of service, my lady."

Deep down, Serana wished this was how most of their conversations went. It was easy to see how Kjona had so many friends when she was like this. She was carefree and didn't act like she had a stick up her ass. 

Serana couldn't let herself get her hopes up, however. As Kjona had put it, they were only working together to stop the prophecy from coming. They were under no obligation to treat each other as friends. 

Still. It would have been nice to know Serana could fully trust the woman leaning against her instead of having to wonder if her trauma around vampires would cause her to attack. 

She doubted Kjona would ever actually attack her unprovoked, but the worry was still there. 

Ah, well. She supposed it didn't matter. She could defend herself better now than she could when she had first been awoken, and she could at least distract Kjona long enough to get away if things turned for the worst. 

She just hoped it would never come to that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading!


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